By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-11-06 14:46:50 | Updated at 2024-11-06 18:35:26
3 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // A local community is mourning and in shock following the loss of a beloved Catholic priest who was recently murdered in Ecuador.
On October 31, Fr. Enrique Arcos Sevilla was reported missing, and on November 3, his body was discovered in Panzaleo, according to El Universo. The news outlet reported that “[h]is body showed signs of violence, including bound hands.”
“The discovery of the priest’s body sent shockwaves through the communities of Ambato and Tungurahua, where local residents were deeply concerned and saddened,” El Universo reported. Ambato is located in central Ecuador.
According to El Universo, spokesman for the Diocese of Ambato Fr. Fabricio Dávila said that Fr. Arcos Sevilla was not pastor of a parish because of a physical disability and that he helped with religious celebrations at one of the local parishes.
A separate El Universo article reports that Fr. Arcos Sevilla’s niece Anna Belén said, “He has always been a good person to everyone, dedicating his whole life to religious service.”
This July, Fr. Arcos Sevilla, 53, had celebrated his 26th year as a priest, according to El Universo. Police are still investigating Fr. Arcos Sevilla’s death.
In 2023, Ecuador was the most violent country in Latin America, with 44.5 murders per 100,000 residents, according to Statista.
