EUROPE/RUSSIA - Two Jesuits killed in Moscow buried in their native countries

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – The lifeless bodies of Fr. Otto Messmer and Fr. Victor Betancourt, Jesuits, were found on the afternoon of October 28, in their home in Moscow (see Fides 31/10/2008). According to a report released from the press room of the General Curia of the Jesuits, the funeral was held on November 5 in Moscow and was attended by 250 people. The ceremony was presided by Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of the Mother of God in Moscow. Concelebrating with him were the Apostolic Nuncio in the Russian Federation; Archbishop Antonio Plumines; Archbishop Tomash Peta of Most Holy Mary in Astana (Kazakhstan); Bishop Clemens Nickel of San Clemente in Saratov; the Apostolic Administrator of Kyrgyzstan, Bishop Nikolaus Messmer, SJ (brother of one of the deceased); Bishop Joseph Werth, SJ of Novosibirsk, more than 10 Jesuits, and nearly 50 priests from other congregations. At the end of the ceremony, the bodies of Fr. Messmer and Fr. Betancourt were taken back to Germany and Ecuador, respectively.
The Russian media has released news saying that the murderer has been detained and has confessed. It seems he is a psychologically disturbed person, known by the police on account of the fact that he has been arrested on previous occasions. It has been detected that the double murder took place on October 27, at two different moments, with a difference of 15-17 hours' difference between the death of the first Jesuit and that of the second. The police continue to perform investigations, however the Jesuit Order has been denied access to the results. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2008)