Archbishop Eamon Martin offers prayers following terrorist murder of French priest

Ireland’s Catholic primate Archbishop Eamon Martin joined in the voicing of global shock as he offered prayers to those affected by the terrorist murder of an 86-year-old priest at his church in France.

The message of solidarity was conveyed as French authorities last night revealed that one of the two men, shot dead after the outrage in the Normandy chuch of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, had twice been arrested as he tried to get to Syria.

The attack was witnessed by worshippers and by nuns who were forced to watch it before being used as human shields by the men.