The people of Nice paid tribute to the priest and the nun attacked on Sunday April 24 in the church of Saint-Pierre-d’Arène. A mass was organized in this same church, just over 24 hours after the stabbing who injured two people: Father Krysztof, still hospitalized, and Sister Marie-Claude, present at the ceremony but with a plastered hand, alongside a hundred faithful.
Faithful still in shock
The emotion was still very strong the day after this attack. “It’s true that it really touched us a lot what happened yesterday,” testifies Ambre, a young faithful who did her catechism with Father Krysztof. A few rows further, Madeleine came to meditate because this attack reminds her the memory of the attack on the Notre-Dame basilicawhere she goes to pray regularly. “It did something to us because it plunged us back into what happened. We hope it will stop. Even if it’s not the same thing. He’s a young man they knew “she says.
During the mass, Father Florini, parish priest, made several allusions to the main suspect, a 31-year-old man, described as bipolar. Sister Marie-Claude, present during this mass also wanted to address a message of peace from his view. “I pray for him and see him as a sick person who needs help. I have no hatred”she decides.
No revenge. He is the one who is hurt more than us – Sister Marie-Claude
The priests also insisted on the need to keep churches open. To reassure the faithful, the police force set up during this mass was a little more visible than usual since a patrol was parked just in front. Several political representatives such as the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi and the deputy Eric Ciotti had made the trip.