Last week an Orthodox priest in Moscow, who had converted a number of Muslims to Christianity, was murdered in his own church ^[1].

The official Web site of the Moscow Patriarchate said that the Rev. Daniil Sysoyev, 35, a father of three, died shortly after being shot in the head and chest by an unidentified assailant who entered his parish church of St. Thomas in southern Moscow late on 19 November…

A Moscow Patriarchate official who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Ecumenical News International that the murder could be connected to Sysoyev’s missionary work among Muslims. “He led to Christianity people, whether Tatars or other ethnic groups, that were overwhelmingly Muslim,” the official said.

Sysoyev gave lectures critical of Islam, debated directly with Muslim leaders, and wrote books on subjects such as the dangers of Christian women marrying Muslim men…

Kirill Frolov, an Orthodox missionary activist who was close to the slain priest told Interfax that Sysoyev had received threats over the past two or three years calling on him “stop his theological polemics with Islam” or otherwise “he will be dealt with like an infidel”.

More information can be found in this news report:

Pray for Fr. Sysoyev and his family and for those who committed this terrible act.