International Murder

Some Romanian woman slashed a Swiss Christian leader's throat at an evening prayer service in France.

TAIZE, France — Brother Roger, the 90-year-old founder of an ecumenical religious community dedicated to peace and reconciliation, was knifed to death by a woman at an evening prayer service attended by 2,500 people, authorities said.

The slaying was deplored Wednesday by the pope and the head of the Anglican Church, who called the slain monk "one of the best-loved Christian leaders of our time."

An all-night prayer vigil was held following the fatal attack Tuesday night in the church at Taizé, in Burgundy.

A Romanian woman wielding a knife killed silver-haired Brother Roger, witnesses said. A community spokesman, Brother Emile, said the monk's throat was cut and he died 15 minutes later.

Apparently she wasn't mentally unfit to the degree of needing a psychiatrist, and she purchased the knife the previous day, a clear sign of premeditation.

Pretty astonishing, and obviously very unfortunate.