16 December 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Valuable bronzed tabernacle doors elude diocese

Staff of Christchurch’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament are hopeful that the Ria Bancroft bronzed doors that were removed from storage, are in the safekeeping of a well-meaning parishioner.

Lance Ryan, chairman of the Cathedral Management Board, said that the Police have been notified because of the history and value of the doors, but he was hopeful there was nothing sinister in their disappearance.

“A person, who we believe is a parishoner or friend of the Cathedral, made themselves known to one of the staff working on the Cathedral site, and said they were collecting the doors to put them in safe keeping. The person looked familiar to the staff member but he did not know their name.”

The two doors, sculpted by Ria Bancroft (1907-1993) for the Cathedral in the late 1970s, were among the many precious and valuable heritage items recovered from the cathedral after this year’s earthquakes. Other items include the Pat Mulcahy crucifix, a tapestry by Ida Lough, a small cross by Ria Bancroft, an Icon of Christ from the Chapel of Unity, beaten metal doors from the Holy Oils cupboard, an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, and several chalices, including one gifted by pope Leo XIII (1891) and another from Pope John Paul II (1986).

The Ria Bancroft doors are 51cm high and 79cm wide and have a replacement value of $185,000.
The left door depicts the death of Christ and the right shows the resurrection.
They were designed specifically as ‘church art’ for use in a major church such as the Cathedral, and as such there is almost no sale value, according to Lance Ryan.

“Because of their distinctiveness, having been seen by thousands of people over a long time, with much publicity in newspapers, postcards, and books, the doors are instantly recognisable as stolen property for the next couple of generations.”

They were commissioned from Ria Bancroft, the former English-born sculptor who lived in Christchurch from 1962, and were considered her most significant work of the 1970s. They were modelled by her in Christchurch and later cast in bronze by a foundry in England. They were installed in the Blessed Sacrament chapel in June 1977 on the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Detective Sergeant Richard Quested from the CIB at Christchurch Central Police Station said all scrap metal dealers were being asked to keep an eye out for the doors.

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