Source: Radio New Zealand
St Paul’s Anglican Church priest Chris Williams with the returned candlestick, dedicated to his grandfather Percy Williams. RNZ / Peter de Graaf
It once was lost, but now it’s found.
The parishioners of St Paul’s Church in Paihia are celebrating the mysterious return of a historic stolen candlestick, but they would dearly love to have the other one back as well.
Priest Chris Williams said the pair of solid brass candlesticks and a wooden cross were stolen from the altar in March 2022.
He said parishioners had always been hopeful they would some day be recovered, but it still came as a surprise when one was handed in to Paihia Library a few days ago.
The librarian was too busy at the time to get the person’s name, but he said he was part of the wider Williams family.
At the time of the theft the church was open day and night, Chris Williams said.
“We didn’t anticipate people would take things. It was something we’d never thought of, really. We thought people would respect the church and come in for silent prayer.”
The landmark building – known to many Paihia residents simply as the Stone Church – was now open only during the day in spring and summer, and security cameras had been installed inside and out.
St Paul’s Anglican Church, known to many Paihia residents as the Stone Church, was completed in 1926. RNZ / Peter de Graaf
The candlesticks were not just used during every service, they were also a tangible link to Paihia’s past and to the Williams’ family.
The recovered candlestick was engraved with a dedication to Percy Williams, Chris Williams’ grandfather and the priest at the time the church was consecrated in 1926.
Percy Williams was also the grandson of the pioneer missionary Henry Williams, to whom the church is dedicated.
The candlestick which remained missing was engraved ‘In Memoriam Eila Mabel Reed’.
Chris Williams said he hoped the person who kindly delivered the candlestick to Paihia Library would come forward, in case he knew the whereabouts of the other one.
If someone else had its twin, he hoped that person had “the conscience and the respect for sacred things” to ensure it was also returned.
The missing candlestick has a similar inscription but is dedicated to the memory of Eila Mabel Reed. RNZ / Peter de Graaf
“We would just be so grateful for the candlesticks to be together again. If that person wanted to be forgiven, then I would be very happy to forgive and forget.”
Chris Williams said he used the returned candlestick in his homily on Sunday, which, being Advent, was on the theme of hope.
“We had all hoped the candlesticks would come back. One has and now we hope that the second will come back. We have confidence that will happen because of the conscience of the person who has it. And also because our Lord looks over these things and mysterious things happen.”
St Paul’s Church, the fifth church on the Marsden Road site, is a Category I heritage building.
According to Heritage New Zealand, St Paul’s has the second-oldest hand-pumped organ in the country and a graveyard dating back to 1826.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand