Gilded Icon Stolen from Magdalene College Chapel

Between the morning of Tuesday 24 September and Wednesday 25 September, a gilded icon of the Virgin and Child was stolen from the Chapel of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

The icon depicts the Virgin and Child (Mother of the God of the Passion) with two archangels. It is painted on a wooden board with gold-leafed background and a red border which covers the sides. It measures approximately 35x25 cm and 2.5 cm thick.

The icon was donated to the Chapel by Professor Eamon Duffy in 2009 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his election as a Fellow. It was created by Dom Anselm Shobrook, a noted icon-writer and monk of the Anglican Benedictine monastery at Alton in Hampshire.

The Dean of Chapel, Sarah Atkins, said:

‘I was saddened to discover the icon vanished from its place beside the altar, and all that this means for those for whom it has been a beloved part of the Chapel and a treasured aid to prayer.

As a place of worship, the Chapel is open to the public for prayer and reflection and we are glad to welcome those who pass by, as well as Members of the College, to step inside to sit in its peace, or to Services with our excellent Choir. This comes with a risk, as so many places of worship know. But remaining open is not only a matter of principle but an act of trust in the kindness of strangers - perhaps that same kindness might yield the whereabouts of the icon in time.

In the meanwhile, we’re grateful to those keeping an eye out for the icon, while we prepare to welcome the next generation of students to the College, and begin the latest new Term in the Chapel’s nearly 600 years of worship in this community.’

The College hopes for the return of the icon, which holds great value to those connected with it.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the icon please contact the College on enquiries@magd.cam.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1223 332 100.