Bishops of Slovakia Call for Prayers for Peace after Nearly Fatal Attack on its Prime Minister Robert Fico
The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, is in a stable but serious condition after being shot several times on May 15th, according to the BBC.
The hospital director said he was currently in an intensive care unit after five hours in surgery. Mr Fico (Pictured above), age 59, was said to have been fighting for his life after being seriously injured in an attack in the town of Handlova.
The suspect was detained at the scene of the shooting. 71-year-old Juraj Cintula from Levice is accused of shooting Prime Minister Robert Fico . The police detained him immediately after the assassination, and a video appeared on social networks, on which he allegedly stated why he shot. In the video, he stated that he does not agree with the government's policy.
Robert Fico has served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia since 2023, having previously served in the position from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018. He founded the Direction – Social Democracy party in 1999 and has led that party since its start.
The Archbishop of Bratislava, Metropolitan Mons. Stanislav Zvolenský, wrote the following message on Facebook:
“PRAYING FOR HIS RESCUE AND HEALING. ”
Archbishop of Bratislava Metropolitan Mons. Stanislav Zvolenský is horrified by the tragic event in which Prime Minister Robert Fico was heavily injured. Praying for his rescue and healing. On Sunday, on the Feast of the Sending of the Holy Spirit, Father Archbishop in Šaštín will serve a Holy Mass during the spring pilgrimage, which he sacrifices for peace in Slovakia, in order to open up to the action of God's Holy Spirit and mutual respect at the intercession of our Patron Saint of the Seven Sorrows.
“PRAYING FOR HIS RESCUE AND HEALING. ”
Archbishop of Bratislava Metropolitan Mons. Stanislav Zvolenský is horrified by the tragic event in which Prime Minister Robert Fico was heavily injured. Praying for his rescue and healing. On Sunday, on the Feast of the Sending of the Holy Spirit, Father Archbishop in Šaštín will serve a Holy Mass during the spring pilgrimage, which he sacrifices for peace in Slovakia, in order to open up to the action of God's Holy Spirit and mutual respect at the intercession of our Patron Saint of the Seven Sorrows.
The Head of the Bishops' Conference of Slovakia wrote:
Chairman of KBS: I express my deep regret for the misfortune that befell the Prime Minister
Bratislava, May 15 (TK KBS) We bring the statement of the metropolitan archbishop of Košice and the president of the Bishops' Conference of Slovakia, Mons. Bernard Bober in connection with the attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. - I express my deep regret for the misfortune that befell Prime Minister Robert Fico. I condemn violence, hatred and aggression, which breeds only more evil and deepens polarization in society. I appeal to everyone's conscience, let's not remain indifferent, let's be creators of peace. Let's not harm each other, but strengthen the good that is in every person. I pray for the prime minister's speedy recovery and call on the faithful to pray for peace for our homeland and all citizens of the Slovak Republic.
Msgr. Bernard Bober
Metropolitan Archbishop of Košice, Chairman of the Conference of Bishops of Slovakia
Bratislava, May 15 (TK KBS) We bring the statement of the metropolitan archbishop of Košice and the president of the Bishops' Conference of Slovakia, Mons. Bernard Bober in connection with the attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. - I express my deep regret for the misfortune that befell Prime Minister Robert Fico. I condemn violence, hatred and aggression, which breeds only more evil and deepens polarization in society. I appeal to everyone's conscience, let's not remain indifferent, let's be creators of peace. Let's not harm each other, but strengthen the good that is in every person. I pray for the prime minister's speedy recovery and call on the faithful to pray for peace for our homeland and all citizens of the Slovak Republic.
Msgr. Bernard Bober
Metropolitan Archbishop of Košice, Chairman of the Conference of Bishops of Slovakia
Slovakia's 2021 census found that 3.04 million people (over 60% of the population) identified as Latin Catholic. Pope Francis made a four-day visit to the country in September 2021.
Sources: https://www.tkkbs.sk/view.php?cisloclanku=20240515022
Sources: https://www.tkkbs.sk/view.php?cisloclanku=20240515022
https://sita.sk/kto-je-juraj-cintula-atentatnik-na-fica-v-minulosti-bol-aj-tercom-utoku-a-jeho-sused-ho-pozna-ako-dobreho-cloveka/
Image: An authorized Youtube stream of the STRC Ukrainian television and radio broadcasting «UTR - TV channel», CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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