'They're precious to us': Reverends appeal after theft from prominent Wellington church

Author: Janhavi Gosavi,
Publish Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2026, 1:56pm

A prominent central Wellington church may close for a “day of mourning” after two spiritually significant paintings were stolen in broad daylight.

St Peter’s Church on Willis has made a public appeal to get the items returned to them, and say no questions will be asked of whoever brings them back.

“We want whoever took them to recognise that they’re precious to us,” reverend Stephen King said.

One of the two missing artworks was created by one of the other reverends of the Anglican church, Jean Malcolm.

She told the Herald she spent about 40 hours over the span of several years creating her depiction of Virgin Mary and baby Jesus on a golden background.

Revered Jean Malcolm spent several years chipping away at painting this icon of Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus.

The second artwork was a print of a sixth-century painting known as the Icon of Christ and Abbot Men, the original of which hangs in the Louvre museum in Paris.

Malcolm said she first noticed the paintings were missing from the church on Tuesday afternoon, just before a choir rehearsal started.

The reverends said the church was normally open to the public during the day and there were always people coming in and out.

It is the second blow this year for the church, with its brass eagle lectern being intentionally damaged on Easter weekend, forcing the church to temporarily close until the lectern was fixed.

Following the recent theft, some members of their parish wanted to restrict access to the church but Malcolm and King did not agree.

“We’re about being open and we know that comes with risk, but that’s part of who we are here,” Malcolm said.

A print of a famous painting known as the Icon of Christ and Abbot Men was also taken from the church.

The reverends said neither of the stolen artworks held much monetary value.

They believed the person who took them may be someone experiencing hardship or mental health struggles.

“Sometimes people take things because they’re either disturbed by them or drawn to them,” King said.

“Sometimes people take things because there’s a voice in their head that tells them to.”

The reverends had no plans to report the theft to the police.

The icons sat behind the altar at St Peter's Church on Willis St in central Wellington.

“We would rather be reunited with the icons and have the opportunity to be reconciled with the person that took them, because they matter to us as well,” Malcolm said.

Members of the church community have contacted the reverends to express their shock and condolences, but no one had any information on the whereabouts of the paintings.

If the icons were not returned to the church by next week, the church would be closed for a day of mourning.

Janhavi Gosavi is a Wellington-based journalist for the New Zealand Herald who covers news in the capital.