One person was killed and four others injured after a Ukrainian man allegedly attacked clergy members and worshippers with a knife at a Catholic monastery in southern Poland.
Police said the 31-year-old Ukrainian national launched the attack on Thursday morning at the 17th-century Benedictine abbey in Jaroslaw, about 30 kilometres from Poland’s border with Ukraine.
According to prosecutors, the suspect had entered Poland from Germany earlier that day. He allegedly took a knife from the monastery’s kitchen and attacked four men and one woman, including a priest inside a confessional.
Prosecutor Bozena Harasz-Wołoszyn said three of the victims were clergy members and two were laypeople. One person died, while two others were in critical, life-threatening condition.
Polish media reported that the deceased was a priest, although police had not immediately confirmed the victim’s identity.
Prosecutors said the suspect was reportedly heading towards a nearby border crossing to return to Ukraine but instead went to the abbey. His motive remains unclear.
Authorities also said doctors would assess whether the suspect was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the attack.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the suspect would face the full force of Polish law.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the incident as a “horrific crime” and said the perpetrator must be held fully accountable.
The mayor of Jaroslaw, Marcin Nazarewicz, declared a period of mourning in the town until the end of the week.
Knife attacks, particularly at religious sites, are considered rare in Poland, one of Europe’s predominantly Catholic countries.
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