Lombardi: Murder of Apostolic Vicar Not Politically Motivated

(03 Jun 10 – RV) Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican Press Office Director says “political motivations” for the murder of Bishop Luigi Padovese, “or other motivations linked to socio-political tensions are to be excluded”. Fr Lombardi’s comments came as Mehmet Celalettin Lekesiz, the governor for the province of Hatay, confirmed that police were holding a man of Kurdish origins, Murat.A, in custody for the stabbing to death of the Apostolic Vicar in Turkey.

The aggression took place at 1 pm local time in the Southern Mediterranean port city of Iskenderun.

“This is horrible news that left us deeply shocked and of course, desperately dismayed” – commented Fr Lombardi –“Bishop Padovese was a person of great worth for the witness of the Church's life in Turkey, and even in difficult situations, was a courageous person dedicated to the Gospel”.

Fr Lombardi contacted Sr Eleonora Stefano, Franciscan Sister of the Immaculate Conception, who was personal secretary to Bishop Padovese. “Sr Eleonora said that she had spoken to the Bishop shortly beforehand” – recounts Fr Lombardi – “and that he had travelled to a small house a few kilometres from his residence in the Southern port town, a house that he used for work and study purposes. Here he was attacked by a certain Murat, a man of Kurdish origins, who had been employed as a driver and general handyman. The religious sister testified to the man’s recent signs of depression and confusion and confirms that he had given evidence of mental imbalance in the past”.

Therefore, notes Fr Lombardi, “political motivations for the attack, or other motivations linked to socio-political tensions are to be excluded. What remains is that Bishop Padovese was a person who gave his entire life to bring the Gospel of love and peace to difficult situations and therefore should be written among the witnesses of the Gospel”.

Fr Lombardi concluded : “This fact coming as it does on the eve of a Papal trip towards the Middle East lends an extraordinary intensity to the Pope’s mission to encourage the Christian communities living in this region, helping us to profoundly understand the urgent need for the solidarity of the universal Church to support these Christian communities”.