Pray for us Padovese, martyr and perhaps Saint, that we do not hate on your behalf.
Father, precious in Your eyes is the death of Your faithful. May Padovese’s death break the shackles of Islam throughout the world. May all slaves of hate be released from the power of the devil, and may we behold the beatific vision with great joy.
+ We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, Amen. +
I just posted some new information about his killing. It seems that his driver had been supplied by the Turkish government and had grown so radical lately that a Turkish government rep called the bishop a few days before his death to warn him. At that point, the Bishop decided not to go to Cyprus, since he was afraid the driver would make an attack on the the Pope.
He apparently had always treated the driver with great courtesy and concern, so there was no personal conflict involved. I’m sure, of course, that he was aware that the driver (who initially presented himself as a Catholic) had been placed with him by the Turkish government to act as a spy. However, there are still some secular forces in the Turkish government (most notably, some of the military, alhough Erdogan has been purging them) and they were probably the ones who warned Bp Padovese.