Avenir Smolin, 29, a priest in the Ivanovo Region, was killed Wednesday, presumably in the course of a robbery. His body was discovered at his home with numerous stab wounds. The priest's belongings and a small sum of money had been stolen.
"This was the second murder of a priest this year," Father Vladimir Vigilyansky said. "Father Oleg Stupichkin was killed in the Sverdlovsk Region [central Urals] in January. This profession is becoming increasingly dangerous."
He cited documents that said priests are being murdered more often than members of any other civilian profession, including journalists.
"Several priests get killed every year. And there are far fewer priests than journalists," the spokesman said.
An investigation is underway.
