"Expressions of condolence" to the Russian Catholic Church and the Society of Jesus for the murder of two Jesuit Fathers, Otto Messmer and Victor Betancourt. The announcement was made by the Orthodox Father Igor Vyzhanov, Secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, in an interview with the Russian news agency "Interfax". He commented the news of the assassination of two Jesuit priests last evening in Moscow in a flat belonging to the Society of Jesus located in Petrovka street. "I have met Fr Messmer personally," said Fr Vyzhanov "he was a thoughtful person." The lifeless bodies of the two Jesuits were found by their brothers. "As the two Jesuits did not answer the phone, their brothers went to their apartment and found them dead," explains Fr Igor Kovalevsky, Secretary General of the Russian Bishops’ Conference. Even the Russian Mufti Council expressed its indignation for what has happened. "This two murders represent a great loss for the believers," said Damir Gizatullin, Vice-President of the Council, expressing the condolences of Russian Muslims. The motive and the circumstances of the crime are still unclear and the murder weapon has not been found yet. The two priests had stab wounds and concussions. One person is suspected by the authorities.
