An Indian Catholic priest is believed to have been crucified by ISIS on Good Friday.
Fears have been growing for the last days, after rumours emerged online of the terror group’s intention to kill Tom Uzhunnalil around the holy festival.
He was believed to have been kidnapped from a retirement home in Yemen during an attack by Islamic extremists on March 4th.
During the incident in Aden, the group shot 16 people – including four nuns – International Business Times India reported.
The execution of Father Uzhunnalil was confirmed at the Easter Vigil Mass by Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna. Though, there has not yet been no confirmation from the Indian Government of the execution.
The Franciscan Sisters of Siessen, a religious mission based in South Africa, posted the below message on Facebook, which has since been shared thousands of times:
It’s believed the missionaries at the home were reported to have been subject to numerous threats but had refused to leave.
A handwritten account from one of the nuns – published on Christian website Aleteian – claimed that five young Ethiopian Christian men ran to the sisters to tell them that ISIS militants were coming to kill them.
As well as describing the brutal killing of many people at the home, it also appears to confirm Father Uzhannalil’s kidnap. It said: “A neighbour saw them put Father Tom in their car. They did not find a trace of Father anywhere.”
Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
