By Peter Sorkin
An Astoria man was arrested Sunday for allegedly stealing a revered Greek Orthodox icon and its valuable gems on display at an Astoria church, police said.
It was the third incident in 10 years involving the theft of the famous icon from the St. Irene Chrysovalantou Greek Orthodox Monastery. Worshipers believe the icon has the power to heal.
Police arrested Michael Najdek of 21-36 21st St. and charged him with burglary, petty larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, said Officer Joseph Cavitolo, a Police Department spokesman. Najdek was also allegedly in possession of drugs when he was arrested, Cavitolo said.
Cavitolo said Najdek allegedly broke into a side door of the church at 36-07 23rd Ave. at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Najdek is accused of shattering the glass containing the statue of St. Irene and fleeing with the palm-sized icon and the gems in a white Cadillac, the officer said. He was arrested two hours later at Astoria Park at 29th Street and 30th Avenue.
Police recovered both the icon and the gems, Cavitolo said.
Parishioners say the icon of St. Irene church has miraculous powers and that the church's most sacred religious artifact has been the subject of much interest before.
In 1990, parishioners claimed to have seen the icon weep a month before the start of the Persian Gulf War, said Olga Peleti, a secretary for St. Irene Chrysovalantou Greek Orthodox Monastery. It attracted thousands of pilgrims to the Astoria church who wanted to see the icon cry for themselves.
A year later, armed robbers broke into the church and held the congregants at gunpoint while stealing the icon from its glass encasing. When the statue was returned months later, the icon was missing its valued gem-encrusted frame, which was eventually recovered.
In 1998, another burglar got inside the church by smashing in a window. Church officials said he did not steal the icon because the alarm was tripped and the would-be robber fled.
Peleti said she was saddened to hear of another burglary because it is disrespectful and would deny visitors the chance to pray to the icon, which she said works wonders.
“It's miraculous and many people are drawn to the icon because it works miracles,” she said. “When somebody is sick and they pray to it, they become well. When a women who cannot get pregnant prays to the statue, she can get pregnant.”
Church officials, who said they already have a central alarm system, said they plan to install additional alarm devices and will raise money to put a camera facing the glass case containing St. Irene.
Reach reporter Peter Sorkin by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 138.
