Stolen icons returned to Russian Church

More than 140 icons have been returned to the Russian Orthodox Church after authorities found them being smuggled out of the country. Some of the icons date back to the 16th century and have been classified as priceless treasures.

The icons were discovered in the luggage compartment of a bus headed to Georgia at a customs check point in Northern Ossetia.

The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Alexey II, expressed great thanks as the Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika presented the sacred images to him in Moscow.

The return of the holy artwork comes at a time when faithful Orthodox Christians are preparing for their most important holiday – Easter.