A Catholic priest was stabbed this Tuesday in the heart of the city of Modena, in northern Italy, while going about his daily life. The attack, which was initially investigated as a possible robbery attempt, has finally been classified by the Police as a deliberate attack with intent to kill.
According to the ANSA agency, the victim is Rodrigo Grajales Gaviria, a Colombian priest 45 years old, who was wounded with a bladed weapon in the back of the neck. After the aggression, he was urgently transferred to a hospital, where he underwent an immediate surgical intervention. According to the doctors who confirmed later, the priest is out of danger, since the wound, although extensive, did not reach sufficient depth to compromise his life.
This Wednesday, law enforcement officially ruled out the robbery motive and stated that the attack was intentional and targeted. The Police also stated that they trust in identifying the aggressor and clarifying the motive of the stabbing in the coming days.
The parish priest of the church of San Giovanni Evangelista de Módena, Father Grazia Gavioli, where the wounded priest collaborates pastorally, explained that, once he regained consciousness after the operation, Father Grajales had a long conversation with the agents to provide relevant information to the investigation.
According to the parish priest, the priest’s emotional state is positive. «He jokes and greets everyone, thanking for the prayers and affection received», he affirmed, while expressing his gratitude to the healthcare staff and security forces for their swift and professional action.
For its part, the Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola has publicly expressed its closeness to the Colombian priest and has thanked for the numerous messages of solidarity received from institutions and various sectors of society after the attack.