Cardinal Ernest Simoni's Florence apartment burglarized

Thieves broke into the Florence apartment of Cardinal Ernest Simoni, one of the world’s oldest cardinals, stealing items valued at approximately 30,000 euros. The burglary occurred on September 17 while the 97-year-old cardinal was visiting London.

According to reports, the intruders used chisels to force open the reinforced entrance door before searching the residence located near Piazza del Duomo. The stolen items included cash, gold objects, several medals, and some of his niece’s jewelry. The cardinal’s nephew noted that while the cardinal was initially distressed, he expressed relief upon learning that his collection of saint figurines remained untouched.

Cardinal Simoni, an Albanian national, is a prominent figure in the Catholic Church, having spent 18 years in prison under Albania’s communist dictatorship. He was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016 and has been described by the Pope as a ‘living martyr’.