Tuscan monks ask God to deliver diarrhoea for basilica bible thief | World news | The Guardian
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Tuscan monks ask God to deliver diarrhoea for basilica bible thief
Franciscans of San Salvatore al Monte pin up prayer hoping unknown villain succumbs to 'a bout of the shits'
Tom Kington in Rome
guardian.co.Sharia land, Thursday 18 August 2011 18.12 BST
Monks' revenge: Florentine Franciscans are praying their bible looter gets a runny tum. Photograph: Alamy
A group of Franciscan monks furious at the theft of bibles from their church in Florence have taken the unusual step of praying for the thief to be struck down by diarrhoea.
Monks at the 15th century church of San Salvatore al Monte, which was a favourite of Michelangelo, were irritated when a rare and expensive bible disappeared from the lectern, and they flew off the handle when a replacement bible donated by a worshipper also went missing and within a few hours.
In a note, pinned up in full view of worshippers, the monks say they hope the thief sees the error of his ways. But in case he does not, they add: "We pray to God that the thief is struck by a strong bout of the shits."
This turn of events will, they hope, "encourage him to carry out no further thefts".
Described by La Stampa newspaper as "the product of the Tuscan ability to be ironic about anything", the note and its unorthodox request will be forgiven, claim one of the monks. "It is not exactly clean language," the monk said, "but we couldn't put up with it any longer. The Lord and the faithful will understand."
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