Fr Jean-Louis Giordan, former rector of the Basilica of Notre Dame spoke to Vatican Radio immediately after the brutal attack in the Basilica in which three people were killed on Thursday morning, October 29.

Fr Giordan was rector at Notre-Dame for 16 years. His words immediately after the attack reveal all of his pain and disorientation. He says he does “not understand” why they would attack his Church in the heart of such a “peaceful city” as Nice.

At the moment, anger and sadness are the sentiments Fr Giordan says he can feel at an attack that comes in the wake of a series of other barbaric acts of violence against the Christian community in the nation.

Fr Giordan recalls that it was he, who brought Vincent to the Basilica 10 years ago. Vincent,. one of the victims of the attack, was the basilica’s sacristan: “I feel battered and bruised”, he says. “I brought Vincent in - and to die like this…” he concludes “…it is terrifying.”