Credit: INTERPOL / The 16th century wood painting, entitled “Madonna del Silenzio”, depicts the Holy Family with John the Baptist as a child. It measures 145 x 99 cm without its frame.

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A valuable painting attributed to Michelangelo or Venusti, one of his students, has been stolen from the Church of St Ludgerus in Zele, Belgium, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) reported in an alert.  The 16th century wood painting, entitled “Madonna del Silenzio”, depicts the Holy Family with John the Baptist as a child. It measures 145 x 99 cm without its frame.

The theft and main suspect

The theft took place on the morning of Friday 11 January, between 05.00 and 06.00. The thief broke into the church through the sacristy. A witness reported seeing a young man acting suspiciously at the doors at the back of the church early on the morning of Thursday 10 January (between 05.00 and 05.20). The suspect is described as aged between 17 and 20, wearing dark clothing and carrying a dark-coloured backpack.

Credit: telegraph.uk.com /  The painting, donated by a parishioner, had been left forgotten in St Ludgerus church CREDIT: JAN VAN RAEMDONCK

The painting of the Holy Family had lain undisturbed and largely forgotten in St Ludgerus church in the small Flemish town of Zele for the last 16 years after it was donated by a parishioner, according to the telegraph.uk.com. The painting was thought to be worth 10,000 euros but the church was not protected by any burglar alarms. It had lain in a dark corner of the church until it was noticed an given a more prominent position by pastor Jan Van Raemdonck.