Manton, California, November 1, 2018
thebaid.org A monk of St. John’s Monastery in Manton, California, Fr. John (Vasily) Rozmanov, was taken to the hospital after being stabbed by a guest on Halloween morning, according to a monk close to the monastery.
Fr. John has labored in monasticism at St. John’s for nearly 20 years, having lived there longer than any other monk in the present brotherhood. Before St. John’s, he spent time at St. Herman’s Monastery in nearby Platina.
The injured monk had the blessing of knowing the saint for whom his monastery is named—St. John of San Francisco, having served as his altar boy in his childhood.
The Record Searchlight from Redding reports that the attacker, Michail Pijenko, was drunk when he attacked Fr. John at about 2:20 AM yesterday morning, according to officials at the Tehama County Sherffi’s Office.
Someone had called 911, warning that Michail was drunk and wielding a knife, and about a half-hour later they received a second call saying Fr. John had been stabbed. Fr. John was in the bathroom when the intoxicated guest stabbed him twice “unprovoked,” deputies say.
Fr. John ran to a neighbor’s house for help, from where he was taken to the hospital for treatment. His condition is as yet unknown.
Pijenko was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and is being held on $500,000 bail.
May the Lord have mercy upon Fr. John and grant him a full and speedy recovery!
Follow us on Facebook!
