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France honors priest murdered by Islamic terrorists at Normandy church attack
By Arthur Lyons	 30 July 2019 No Comments
Local clergy and politicians honored the third anniversary of the death of Father Jacques Hamel, a French priest who was murdered by two Islamic terrorists while he was celebrating Mass.
On July 26th, 2016, two 19-year-old Muslim extremists who had pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State, Abdel Malik Petitjean and Adel Kermiche, rushed into to Hamel's Church of St. Stephen in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, seized the 86-year-old priest along with five other members of the congregation and after holding them hostage for 40 minutes, slit Hamel's throat.
Right before he was murdered, Hamel told the terrorists, "Begone, Satan!"
Last week, to honor the three year anniversary, a rosary vigil and a directed meditation were led by a local priest in the church where Hamel was murdered.
On Friday, the day of the actual anniversary, locals marched silently through the streets of the town toward the church where Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Rouen, France led a Mass to remember the slain priest.
"It's right for our spirit to rebel against the homicide of a priest in his church, against all forms of violence," said Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Roue during his homily.
"We must fight for peace," he continued, adding "Father Jacques Hamel gave his life for this."
Joachim Moyse, the mayor of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray had similar words for Father Hamel, saying, "Jacques Hamel promoted a discourse of peace and fraternity, and it's up to us Republicans to apply the conditions of this peace and fraternity."
Marine le Pen of France's National Rally party, through a tweet, called on French people to not forget the priest's murder so easily.
"Three years ago, Father Jacques Hamel was executed by Islamist barbarians in the heart of his church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray. No Frenchman can forget the horrible murder of this priest. The fight against Islamist gangrene must remain a top priority," she wrote.
The Vatican has since taken the initial steps to make Father Hamel into a saint.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the head of the department which oversees sainthood, has said that Hamel's case is a 'priority' for Pope Francis.
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