Members of Jesuit Order killed in Moscow

Two members of the Jesuit Order have been killed in central Moscow, sources in the law enforcement agencies told Interfax. "At 9:20 p.m. on October 28, the chief accountant of the religious organization Society of Jesus called on the police. He said he had found the bodies of two members of the organization - a 42 year-old Ecuadorian and a 46 year-old Russian in an apartment located at Petrovka, 19, building 5, which is owned by the religious organization," a source told Interfax.

The law enforcement officers and experts who came to the scene found that the two men had died of head injuries. A criminal case has been opened. The Russian Orthodox Church has extended its condolences in connection with the killing.

"I would like to extend my condolences to the administration of Russian Catholics and the Russian office of the Jesuit Order," the Priest Igor Vyzhanov, secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, told Interfax-Religion on Wednesday. Fr. Igor said he is hoping this case will be duly investigated by the public bodies.

Archbishop Paolo Pezzi will conduct a requiem mess for two Jesuit priests stabbed to death on Tuesday in the Russian capital.

The mess will be held on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow, Secretariat of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia told Interfax-Religion.

"The Catholic Church in Russia has suffered a great loss. Ardent pastors loved by the believers passed away. The Church prays to the merciful Lord to repose the souls of Rev. Viсtor and Rev. Otto in dwellings of the righteous and grant them His Heavenly Kingdom," the Conference's official message reads.

The Catholic Church also "prays for those who committed this awful crime, so that the Lord grant them the mercy of repentance," as "murder is a heavy and grievous sin and everyone who committed it should bear just punishment."

"The Church hopes, Russian law enforcement agencies will find the criminals and the Court and society will give objective legal and moral assessment of their crimes," the document said.

At 9:20 p.m. on October 28, the chief accountant of the religious organization Society of Jesus called on the police. He said he had found the bodies of two members of the organization - a 42 year-old Ecuadorian and a 46 year-old Russian in an apartment located at Petrovka, 19, building 5, which is owned by the religious organization.

The law enforcement officers and experts who came to the scene found that the two men had died of head injuries. A criminal case has been opened.

Source: Interfax religion