Martyred French Priest's Last Words: 'Go away Satan!'

Rev. Dominique Lebrun, the archbishop of Rouen revealed during yesterday's solemn funeral Mass celebrated in Rouen Cathedral for Father Jacques Hamel, the French priest martyred by two ISIS terrorists, that Fr. Hamel tried to push away his attackers with his feet, saying "go away, Satan!" The prelate 's remarks were part of his consideration of the total inscrutability and abject horror of evil before a gathering of some 4,000 mourners. Archbishop Lebrun explained that:

"Evil is a mystery. It reaches heights of horror that take us out of the human." ..."Isn’t that what you wanted to say, Jacques, with your last words, when you fell to the ground? After you were struck by the knife, you tried to push away your assailants with your feet and said, 'Go away, Satan.' You repeated it, 'Go away, Satan.'" The archbishop continued, "You expressed ... your faith in the goodness of humans and that the devil put his claws in."

Testimonies from Fr. Fr. Hamel's friends, fellow priests and parishioners affirm he was a gentle, selfless and holy priest of God. In dying for the Faith, he was given the crown of martyrdom. Fr. Hamel resides now among the saints, praying and interceding for us before the throne of God. Saint Jacques Hamel, pray that we may follow your example and live the Gospel in imitation of Christ with complete determination and heroic virtue, even in giving the last measure of our lives.