(ZENIT News / Modena, 01.03.2026).- The historic heart of Modena, better known for Romanesque façades and quiet piazzas than for violent crime, became the scene of a shocking attack at the end of December. On the morning of December 30, Father Rodrigo Grajales Gaviria, a 45-year-old Colombian priest serving the local Church, was stabbed in what Italian police now describe as a targeted attempt on his life.
The assault unfolded as the priest went about his ordinary routine in the city center. Without any apparent provocation or demand, the attacker struck him on the left side of the neck and then disappeared into the surrounding streets. The absence of any attempt to steal personal belongings quickly raised suspicions that this was no random act of street violence.
Father Grajales Gaviria was rushed to Baggiovara Hospital, where surgeons performed emergency surgery. The wound was serious and extensive, but doctors later confirmed that it had narrowly missed vital structures. Thanks to the rapid response of bystanders, emergency services, and medical staff, his life was saved.
Within days, investigators abandoned the initial hypothesis of a botched robbery. According to information released by Italian authorities and reported by the ANSA news agency, the stabbing was a deliberate act carried out with the intention to kill. On January 1, police arrested a 29-year-old man as a suspect in connection with the attack. The motive remains under investigation.
The priest’s recovery has been steady, and the Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola has sought to reassure the faithful and the wider public. In a statement, the archdiocese expressed closeness and solidarity with Father Grajales Gaviria and gratitude for the many messages of concern received from Italy and abroad. It confirmed that the priest is now out of danger.
Father Graziano Gavioli, parish priest of San Giovanni Evangelista, where Father Grajales collaborates pastorally and serves as chaplain to the Latin American community, offered a sober but hopeful assessment. While acknowledging the gravity of the injury, he noted that it was not deep enough to be fatal. Once conscious after surgery, Father Grajales spoke at length with police officers, providing details that may prove crucial to the investigation.
Those close to him describe a man whose spirit has not been broken by the ordeal. According to Father Gavioli, the priest has remained calm and even light-hearted, greeting visitors, joking gently, and repeatedly thanking people for their prayers and support. His words, the parish priest said, were marked more by gratitude than fear.
The attack has unsettled Modena’s Catholic community, particularly among migrants and Latin American faithful for whom Father Grajales has been a familiar pastoral presence. It has also reignited broader questions about the vulnerability of clergy and religious workers, who often live and move without protection, rooted in daily contact with the public.
For now, the focus remains on recovery and on the work of investigators tasked with clarifying why a priest carrying out his ministry became the target of such violence.
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