Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) president Dr Ellis Burris has condemned the theft of two sacred vessels from the St Mary’s RC Church, St James, and urged citizens to respect places of worship and the religious artefacts they hold sacred.Burris also encouraged Trinidad and Tobago citizens to pray for the nation.His comments came after two gold-plated monstran­ces, valued at approximately $15,000, were stolen from the church during an early morning break-in last week Tuesday.Reports indicate that parish priest Fr Emmanuel Pierre encountered the intru­der shortly after arriving at the church around 5.15 a.m. to prepare for the 6.15 a.m. mass.He later discovered that the sacristy had been ransacked and that the two monstrances, used to display the consecrated Eucharistic host for adoration and veneration, were missing.In a telephone interview from his home in Scarborough, Tobago, Burris strongly condemned the theft.“I don’t condone it. We (IRO) would not support the disruption and desecration of sacred places of worship. People should not be tampering with the sacred vessels used in worship. We want to dissuade people from enga­ging in these nefarious acts,” he said.“Don’t interfere with peoples’ religious artefacts. Don’t tamper with the artefacts that they hold sacred. The items which they cherish.”Burris also called on citizens to pray for the country and its leaders.“Let us pray and ask Almighty God to bless each other and our country. Pray for our leaders and elders. Continue to worship God in spirit and in truth. The Holy Bible says, ‘The prayer of a righteous man availeth much.’”Opposition Leader Penne­lope Beckles also condemned the break in.During her Corpus Christi message, she said, “I must address the recent desecration and theft at St Mary’s RC Church. The breaking into a house of worship and the theft of sacred vessels, including the monstrances used in the Holy Eucharist, is deeply painful and unaccep­table.“It is not only a crime against property, but also an assault on the spiritual dignity of a community and the conscience of the nation. Any violation of a house of worship strikes at the heart of our shared values and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”She also praised Fr Pierre’s response to the incident.“Despite the present-day realities, I am inspired by the words of courageous Fr Emmanuel Pierre, ‘There’s a better way to live.’ That message must reach beyond the church and into every community affected by crime, violence, and despair. We must ensure our young people see a path that is not defined by destruction, but by dignity and hope,” she said.