A friar has died this Saturday and six other religious men have been injured―three of them have needed to be taken to hospital, one of them with serious injuries― after a man who had climbed over the walls of the Santo Espíritu del Monte convent, located in the Valencia town of Gilet, attacked them without apparent cause, as reported by eldiario.es and confirmed by EL PAÍS from sources within the armed forces. The alleged assailant―described in a note from the Franciscan order to which the victims belong as a “disturbed person”― shouted during the attack “I am Jesus Christ,” according to other police sources consulted. The perpetrator has not yet been arrested.
The incident occurred before ten in the morning at the monastery on the outskirts of this town of 3,800 inhabitants, when the attacker entered the compound and went through different rooms of the monastery where the religious men were, hitting them with objects he found along the way. According to a statement sent shortly after the incident by the provincial of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception, Friar Joaquín Zurera, the victims reported that, while he was hitting them “violently,” the aggressor said he wanted to kill them. The deceased, 76, had a head injury, while the three most seriously injured―aged 57, 66, and 95―suffered various injuries and bruises for which they were treated at the Hospital de Sagunto. Only two of the friars who were in the convent at the time were not attacked: one was in the garden and the other was in the chapel giving mass.
In their statement, the Franciscans ask the assailant to “be aware of the harm and be able to correct a behavior that is in no way characteristic of the human condition.” In the same text, the order asks the Franciscans from other convents to be “more vigilant to prevent people who may cause harm of any kind from entering our fraternities.” “We unequivocally condemn this attack and join in the suffering of our brothers, with injuries to the body and pain in the soul from what they have experienced, which undoubtedly leaves a deep mark on individuals,” the statement adds.
The Franciscans express their shock and solidarity with the victims of the attack, who are now being treated for their injuries. The tragic event has left a profound impact on the community and has raised concerns about the safety of religious establishments. The search for the perpetrator is ongoing, as authorities work to bring them to justice for their violent and senseless actions. The entire community is in mourning for the loss of one of their own, as they come to terms with the senseless violence that has disrupted their peaceful way of life. The friars are calling for increased vigilance and protection to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
