the lost ark?

The patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ethiopia says he will announce to the world Friday the unveiling of the Ark of the Covenant, perhaps the world's most prized archaeological and spiritual artifact, which he says has been hidden away in a church in his country for millennia.
Abuna Pauolos, in Italy for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI this week, said, "Soon the world will be able to admire the Ark of the Covenant described in the Bible as the container of the tablets of the law that God delivered to Moses and the center of searches and studies for centuries."

Should be interesting to see what they've got.

Meanwhile, here's what the prophet Jeremiah says -

"And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more." (Jeremiah 3:16)

Why does Jeremiah prophesy that the ark will not be remembered or visited? Beacuse he knew that when the Messiah comes, God's presence would finally be with His people once and for all, and the ark of the covenant would no longer be necessary.

So now, since Christ has come, the presence of God is no longer relegated to an ark or a temple in Jerusalem. Now God is present with His people through His Word and Sacraments. Now He makes His home in their hearts by grace through faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit to all who believe. Thanks be to God that He has kept His covenant to us, and that we can be in His presence continually through His Son Jesus Christ, safe in the ark of the Christian Church.