In the aftermath of the attack on a Greek Orthodox priest, seriously wounded by gunfire in Lyon, Monsignor Emmanuel Adamakis, Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of France and President of the Conference of Orthodox Bishops of France calls for unity on Europe 1 and gives indirect news of the victim. 

INTERVIEW

Saturday afternoon in Lyon, a Greek Orthodox priest was seriously wounded by gunshots as he closed his church.

The shooter, a lone man, is on the run and the weapon, a sawn-off shotgun, has not been found.

A man was nevertheless arrested without his identity or his involvement having been confirmed for the moment.

Three days after the attack on the Basilica in Nice, horror strikes again.

Monsignor Emmanuel Adamakis, Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of France and President of the Conference of Orthodox Bishops of France, calls for "the spirit of unity" in the country on Europe 1. 

A necessary "spirit of unity" 

"Our country needs this spirit of unity", confides Bishop Emmanuel Adamakis.

"After the attacks, we are all outraged, more and more united. All Christians but also Muslims, Jews, Buddhists in our country. They expressed their indignation against this horror. We want France to remain a country democratic, values, but also security, where we have peace. "

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The priest, Nikolaos Kakavelakis, 52 years old, targeted by two shots, was hit in the liver and touching the tip.

He is in serious condition and has been hospitalized.

"We have no really direct news", explains Bishop Emmanuel Adamakis, who emphasizes having all the same learned that the priest "was doing better" from the president of the community.

"The investigation is underway, we cannot go further or exclude all hypotheses," he adds.

According to him, the priest had finished his mandate a month ago and was due to return to Greece soon.

He lived in official accommodation behind the church.

Dialogue and cohabitation 

The metropolitan of the Orthodox Church underlines a manipulation of religion in the multiplication of attacks in France.

"No religion tells us to go kill the other. We have one thought and one goal: to bring peace to the earth," he says.

"We work together. All religions have come together for a climate of trust and cohabitation."

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The president of the Conference of Orthodox Bishops of France wishes to spread a message of hope and confidence to Christians, this All Saints Day, but more broadly to all French people.

"Today's society needs hope in order to live tomorrow, together and not divided."