A friar died and several others were injured after a man attacked a Spanish monastery, officials said.
The man entered the Santo Espíritu del Monte monastery in Gilet, Spain around 9:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, the Franciscan Order’s Immaculate Conception Province said in a statement. He “burst into the premises with a violent and provocative attitude” and armed with a blunt object, the press release specifies.
The brothers had just finished breakfast and were in their room at the time of the attack, the order states.
One of the monastery’s monks, identified as Brother Ángel Ramón, managed to push the attacker away and call the authorities, the statement said. The country’s Civil Guard and the local Gilet police intervened and provided immediate assistance.
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The order did not identify the injured brothers or release information about their conditions.
There are 48 convents throughout Spain under the Province of the Immaculate Conception of the Franciscan Order. The monastery of Santo Espíritu del Monte is located in the province of Valencia, struggling with with the consequences of flooding which left more than 200 dead.
Authorities continue to search for the attacker, the statement said. He was described as middle-aged.
This is a developing story. Please check again for updates.
