Durandal, the sword of the knight Roland has been stolen

Someone thought he was a valiant knight, but this theft saddens an entire population. The famous Marian sanctuary of Rocamadour (Lot) was the victim of the theft of one of its most precious jewels: the mythical sword of the knight Roland, named Durandal. This misdeed is said to have taken place on the night of June 21 to 22, according to initial findings.

The sanctuary ‘feels stripped’

“It is a priceless asset. To my knowledge, Durandal is the only legendary sword that really exists,” laments Dominique Lenfant, mayor of Rocamadour, quoted by the daily newspaper. 20 minutes. However, on the morning of June 22, Father Florent Millet, director of the sanctuary, noticed its disappearance. An investigation was immediately opened by the local gendarmerie, which, with the services of the Ministry of Culture, carried out the initial observations. The precious treasure was inaccessible and out of reach of the public. Perched almost 10 meters high but only one meter from the roof of the chapel, Durandal was planted in the rock and chained to prevent it from falling. Which did not prevent it from disappearing. “This sword was embedded in the rock face,” explains the mayor of the town, quoted by The Midi Dispatchat a shallow depth, very close to the chapel of the Black Virgin. It measures 80 cm.” It is therefore a real tourist attraction objectifying the famous Song of Roland (9th century) which has disappeared. According to the initial directions of the investigation, the thieves “may have passed through the chapel’s maintenance route”. The burglary must therefore have been well planned.

However, as the director of the sanctuary points out, this sword was only a “copy of the original.” To the local media Lot NewsFather Millet specifies that Durandal “was moved there (at a height of 10 meters) precisely because it had been stolen several times; before, it was within reach.” The priest claims to have held the missing weapon, and that it “is just a piece of sheet metal” with no particular monetary value. “We will miss Durandal. It has been part of Rocamadour for centuries,” concludes Dominique Lenfant, mayor of Rocamadour, with a sadness. The Midi Dispatch.