Father Jacques Hamel has been identified as the French priest who was beheaded by two ISIS terrorists today. The 84-year-old priest was celebrating a mass when the terrorists broke into Saint-Etienne-duRouvray, a Catholic church in Normandy where Hamel serves as the assistant priest. Once the ISIS attackers had gotten inside, they took two nuns, two parishoners, and Hamel hostage.
Police responded to the scene quickly and eventually killed the two attackers, but not before they beheaded Father Hamel. One of the other hostages is in serious condition, the other three hostages were left unharmed.
Immediately following the news, French people and the Catholic church came out to sing the praises of Father Hamel. Even the French Prime Minister Holande flew down to Normandy to denounce the attacks.
This is what the priesthood is about – Kyrie Eleison pic.twitter.com/V9BLWH9auV
— fr. raymond blake (@raylblake) July 26, 2016
Our thoughts are with the people of Normandy and Father Hamel’s family.
