GRANITEVILLE, Vt. (AP) – Vandals broke into a Catholic church, knocking over a row of lit candles and making off with religious artifacts, authorities said Thursday.

“It blows my mind that somebody would vandalize a church,” said Cpl. Christopher Truhan of the Barre Town Police Department.

The incident at St. Sylvester Church occurred either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, when someone apparently forced their way in, Truhan said.

The gold-plated tabernacle – which holds consecrated bread, and chalices – was stolen after someone broke a wooden enclosure that held it in place, according to the Rev. Leo Bilodeau, the church’s pastor.

Ten lit candles were knocked over, shattering one glass candleholder and bending the bases of two support structures for them. Wax was smeared on the carpeting.

“It’s a wonder they didn’t burn the building down. They must have blown them out before they tipped them over,” said Bilodeau.

Truhan said police have “quite a few leads” on who may be responsible. If the items were taken for their value as precious metals, they might be hard to fence, he said.

“I know metal is a hot commodity, but anyone would realize immediately that this came from a church,” he said of the tabernacle. “I don’t know where you would unload this. This is not a catalytic converter.”

“For us, it’s a sacrilege,” said Bilodeau. “If one of our own members had done this, it would be the highest degree of sin someone could commit.”

Bishop Salvatore Matano, the bishop of the statewide Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington, will say a special Mass of reparation and rededication Sunday.

AP-ES-07-24-08 1734EDT