Catholic Priest from Kerala who went missing in Edinburgh found dead

Mumbai Mirror

Chennai: A Catholic priest form Kerala who went missing in Scotland was found dead last evening in Dunbar. The information about the priest’s death was received at CMI provincial house in Thiruvananthapuram today morning.

 

Fr. Martin Xavier Vazhachira of St.John’s parish in Corstorphine, a village to the west of Edinburgh, went missing on Tuesday, June 20, afternoon. He was last seen at St John the Baptist RC Church.

 

"Father Martin Xavier Vazhachira was found dead on Friday evening on a beach at Dunbar, East Lothian. The cause of death, as yet unknown," announced the website of Archdiocese of St.Andrews & Edinburgh.

"The news of Father Martin Xavier’s death comes as a great shock and a great sadness to all those who knew him and loved him," said Archbishop Leo Cushley of St Andrews & Edinburgh.

 

The Facebook page of Falkirk Catholics said, "As we come to terms with the news that Fr Martin has been found dead we pray for the happy repose of his soul. This morning there will be exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after mass until 12 noon. Please come along and pray with the Lord for Fr Martin his family, his parishioners and his community. May he rest in peace. Amen."

 

A native of Pulincunnoo, near Alappuzha, Fr. Martin went to Scotland in June 2016. He was parish administrator at St. John the Baptist Church. Earlier he was with St. Francis Xavier Church in Falkirk. He was reportedly pursuing his PhD in Scotland.

 

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has reportedly written to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeking a probe into the priest’s death and help in bring the mortal remains of the priest home.