Pope Francis condemns at France church attack and killing of priest

Vatican: Pope Francis has criticized the attack on a Catholic church in northern France where two knife-men took several people hostage, murdered a priest and left worshipers critically wounded in France on Tuesday.


Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, in a statement said that the attack hits particularly hard “because this horrific violence act took place in a sacred place;

“The pope… participates in the pain and horror of this absurd violence,” adding that Pope Francis had been particularly shocked by the “barbaric killing” because it happened in a sacred place.

Fr Lombardi called the attack “more terrible news, that adds to a series of violence in these days that have left us upset, creating immense pain and worry.”

The Pope, he said, has expressed “pain and horror for this absurd violence, with the strongest condemnation for every form of hatred and prayer for those affected.”

The Vatican communicated its closeness to the Church in France and the Archdiocese of Rouen, as well as to the affected communities and the people of France.