Monk arrested after ‘stabbing fellow preacher, 27, and worker, 53, in monastery’ when asked to leave convent

NewsWorld News A MONK has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a fellow preacher in a monastery when he was asked to leave the convent. The 51-year-old Romanian monk allegedly grabbed a box cutter and launched an attack on two men inside a monastery in Cyprus on Friday morning. Cops swooped in on the monk on the same day as the attack and arrested him Credit: Getty The Romanian monk allegedly grabbed a box cutter and launched an attack on two men inside the Agios Neophytos Monastery Credit: Getty He has since been remanded in custody for six days as police investigate the alleged attempted murder. The violent confrontation reportedly erupted after the monk was told to vacate the monastery cell he had been living in. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The cell had previously been occupied by his later father, according to the information under the investigation. Abbot Leontios, accompanied by members of the Church committee and a maintenance worker, is understood to have gone to the monk’s cell and demanded the key at the Agios Neophytos Monastery in Paphos. The religious figure is said to have refused to leave before suddenly grabbing a paper cutter from a desk inside the room. Police believe he then launched a ferocious attack. Investigators believe the abbot, who had authority to order the monk’s removal, was the intended target. But a 53-year-old monastery employee was allegedly struck by the sharp object, suffering gruesome injuries to his neck and hand. Most read in The Sun A second monk, aged 27, intervened during the chaos and was also injured in the hand, police said. The 53-year-old was rushed to Paphos General Hospital, where his wounds were stitched before he was admitted for treatment. His injuries were not considered life-threatening. The younger monk was also taken to hospital where he received first aid before being discharged. Police swooped on the alleged attacker later that day and arrested him. He is being investigated for a string of serious offences, including attempted murder, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm, wounding, carrying a knife and the illegal possession and carrying of an offensive weapon. The case is being treated as a serious violent attack.