Outrage over the theft of the bone of one of the most famous figures in the New Testament from a church in Utah

A diocese in Salt Lake City is asking for the return of a relic that belonged to one of the most famous figures in the New Testament and was stolen.

A bone fragment smaller than a fingernail belonging to Mary Magdalene was stolen from Madeleine Cathedral in Salt Lake City on July 10.

“It would be a miracle if it were returned,” Father Martin Diaz said in a press release. “We have a pretty good idea who took the relic, and I don’t think he even remembers being here.”

Cathedral staff discovered the relic was missing after finding the reliquary – the box containing the special object – smashed on the floor.

The religious institution has contacted police and is currently offering a $1,000 reward for information regarding the missing item.

The relic has been in the church’s possession since 1918. It is woven into a red cloth with a printed fleur-de-lis pattern that was glued to cardboard and placed in a bronze and glass reliquary, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Normally, “two people are needed to move the reliquary,” and Diaz says the precious piece has “no monetary value at all.”

“In that sense, it’s worthless and priceless at the same time,” he told ABC 4. “For us, it has no price and it’s just heartbreaking when something that is so valuable to the community is just desecrated in some way.”

Although Diaz does not believe the person had “any idea” of “what he was doing,” he said the missing relic caused “such hurt and pain in the community.”

Diaz has no hope of returning the relic, but hopes for a miracle.

“Miracles happen all the time,” he said, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

DailyMail.com has contacted La Madeleine Cathedral for comment.

The second bishop of the diocese, Joseph Glass, brought the relic from France in 1918 along with a second relic of the Cross of Christ.

But Diaz is not the only one missing this special relic. Cristina Rosetti, an expert in religious studies, told The Tribune that she was “devastated” when she heard the news and that it left a “wound” for the church.

Although Diaz said the church “could get another relic in Rome,” he acknowledged that it would not be of Magdalene, as such are rare to find.

“We are losing connection with Bishop Glass, with our precious history,” he said.

The Salt Lake facility is the only cathedral in the country named after the devout follower of Jesus.

Mary Magdalene is a character from the New Testament of the Bible and one of the most famous disciples of Jesus.

Magdalene remained with Jesus during the crucifixion and was present at his tomb.

She was also the first person to whom Jesus appeared after his resurrection.