Canadian authorities returned three sacred relics of Saint Nicholas to Italy after they were illegally exported. The items—a bone relic, a reliquary containing multiple relics, and a wooden statuette of Saint Nicholas—were handed over to Italian officials during a ceremony on Wednesday, marking the first time Canada has returned cultural property to Italy. According to ANSA, the return took place at the conclusion of the Canada-Italy Symposium on Crimes Against Cultural Property in Ottawa.
Saint Nicholas of Myra, born in southern Turkey during the third century, was elected Bishop of Myra and dedicated his life to helping those less fortunate, according to CBC News. He inspired the tradition of gift-giving in some European countries on the saint's feast day, which eventually evolved into the modern figure of Santa Claus. Most of Saint Nicholas's relics are now located in a tomb in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy. After his death, his tomb at Myra became a place of pilgrimage.
The relics were seized by the Canada Border Services Agency from a Winnipeg man who attempted to illegally import them. As reported by CBC News, the objects were intercepted in February and June of 2020 after the man purchased them through eBay for nearly $3,300 USD. The Canada Border Services Agency officers in Winnipeg believed the items were foreign cultural property that may have violated the Cultural Property Export and Import Act.
According to the court ruling, the man did not have an export permit or information about the authenticity of the items. He believed the reliquaries were forgeries that he planned to donate to his church. A fine was imposed on him for attempting to purchase the relics, and he was required to pay the Attorney General of Canada more than $2,200 to cover the costs of the motion, as noted by CBC News.
In March 2021, the Canadian Attorney General ordered the return of the three items to Italy, following a court decision by federal court judge Roger Lafrenière. The Canada Border Services Agency referred the reliquaries to the federal government's Canadian Heritage department for further examination, which included expert evaluations and consultations with Italian authorities.
"The onus is on the dealer, collector, institution or the public at large to obtain information related to importing or exporting and comply with procedures for objects that may be considered cultural property," said a spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency, according to CBC News.
"The return of the three sacred objects is an important gesture of collaboration towards the Italian government," said Alessandro Giuli, the Italian Minister of Culture. He added that this act is "a sign of respect towards the religious and cultural heritage related to Saint Nicholas of Bari, who inspired the modern figure of Santa Claus."
The symposium was organized by the Canadian Ministry of Culture to discuss the mutual commitment in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural goods. Francesco Gargaro, the commander of the Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, attended the event, emphasizing the renewed collaboration between Italy and Canada. This partnership was relaunched on the occasion of the G7 Culture Ministerial in Naples, organized under the Italian presidency in 2024, according to ANSA.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
