Four Renaissance Masterpieces Stolen from Sicilian Museum During National Holiday

Four invaluable Renaissance paintings by the 15th-century master Antonello da Messina have been stolen from the Regional Museum of Messina (MuMe) in Sicily. The theft occurred on Saturday evening, during Italy's Ferragosto national holiday, a period when public attention was largely focused on the city's La Vara religious festival. This timing suggests a calculated move by the thieves to exploit the distraction.

Authorities are investigating the breach, which reportedly occurred without triggering alarms, raising suspicions of a professional operation. The stolen works are estimated to be worth between €70 million and €80 million. While fleeing, the thieves abandoned two panels of the 'San Gregorio Polyptych' behind a wall, but the other four paintings remain missing. The incident is being viewed as a significant blow to the cultural heritage and historical memory of Messina.