Three Italian nuns were raped and beaten before two were decapitated and another murdered in a convent in Burundi.
The bodies of Srs Bernardetta Boggia, 79, Lucia Pulici, 75, and Olga Raschietti, 82, were found in their dormitory in Kamenge, north of the capital Bujumbura.
Police said three suspects had been detained for questioning as they probe claims it was a botched robbery at the hands of a mentally unbalanced attacker.
Fr Mario Pulicini, who is responsible for the parish in a northern suburb of Bujumbura, said Srs Pulici and Raschietti were found “partially decapitated” in their dormitory on Sunday.
It appeared all three Italian nuns had been raped.
The Vatican said Pope Francis was “greatly saddened” by the killings of the women, who had worked at the African convent for years.
The Pope offered condolences in the “tragic death” of the nuns to their families, the local parishioners and the sisters’ order, the Xavarian Missionary Sisters of Mary.
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