Priest killed after being taken hostage in French church

Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Rouen released a statement in which he said that Fr Jacques Hamel, 84, was killed after two armed men entered the church during Mass, taking the priest and a number of other people, including two nuns, hostage at the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.

“I cry out to God with all men of good will. I would invite non-believers to join in the cry,” the archbishop, who is returning to France from World Youth Day in Krakow, said.

“The Catholic Church cannot take weapons other than those of prayer and brotherhood among men. I leave here hundreds of young people who are the future of humanity, the true ones. I ask them not to give in to the violence and become apostles of the civilization of love.”

According to reports, the priest died after his throat was cut. Another person inside the church was seriously injured and is hovering between life and death, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said.

French police shot the hostage-takers dead after elite police units stormed the building.

Reuters reported that between between four and six people, including the priest and two nuns, were being held at the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray.

Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said Pope Francis has been informed and expresses pain and horror at this “absurd violence”, Catholic News Service reports.

“We are particularly shocked that this horrible violence occurred in a church, a sacred place where love of God is proclaimed,” Fr Lombardi said.

French President Francois Hollande and Interior Minister Bernard Cazenevue is en route to the town of Saint-Etienne-en-Rouvray where the hostage-taking took place, according to the official, who was not authorized to be publicly named.

The incident comes as France is under high alert after an attack in Nice that killed 84 people and a string of deadly attacks last year claimed by ISIS.