Pope Francis condemns ‘horrific’ murder of priest in France

Pope Francis has condemned in the strongest terms the attack on a Catholic church in northern France that left a priest dead and a worshipper critically wounded.

Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said in a statement on Tuesday that the attack hits particularly hard “because this horrific violence took place in a church, a sacred place in which the love of God is announced, and the barbaric murder of a priest and the involvement of the faithful.”

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