Monday, July 03, 2006

Stabbed priest had been threatened, intimidated

There is an active Protestant Christian church in Samsun, in addition to this Catholic one. Please pray for this growing community, which has also experienced some persecution.

"The French priest who was knifed yesterday evening in Samsun had already suffered threats, insults and vandalism."

"The Christian community of Samsun is microscopic and composed mostly of foreigners in the city for work, people from former Soviet republics and a few Japanese.

Soon after the death of Fr Andrea, Fr Pierre sought to keep the church of Trabzon open too, covering the distance of hundreds of kilometres between the two cities to assure that at least Sunday Mass was held. He did this until Easter Sunday, when a new parish priest – a Polish priest – officially took over the parish of Trabzon."

"Although the attacker is already in prison, this assault worries Christians who see it as a part of an escalation of violence and threats against church figures."
>>> AsiaNews.it <<< Stabbed priest had been threatened, intimidated

No comments: