MOSCOW -- Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has called on Russian society not to draw premature conclusions regarding the murder of an Orthodox priest late on November 19, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
An unknown masked assailant shot and killed Father Daniil Sysoyev of the St. Thomas Church in the Russian capital last night.
Sysoyev's aide, Vladimir Strelbitsky, was severely wounded.
Anatoly Bagmet, head of the Moscow City branch of the Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor-General's Office, told journalists that Sysoyev's slaying might have been connected with his missionary activities.
Sysoyev was well known for his active involvement in religious discussions and public debates with Muslims and Christian Protestants.
His colleagues say that Sysoyev had received numerous threats via electronic mail recently.