A Statement from Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh:
A praying priest was attacked by a man with a bottle in St Mary’s Cathedral in York Place yesterday. Edinburgh Police say enquiries are ongoing and urge anyone with information to contact them on 101.
In a statement, the Archdiocese of Edinburgh and St Andrew’s said: “Yesterday morning (Monday 26 July) a priest sitting alone praying in a pew at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh was subject to a violent and unprovoked assault by a man carrying a glass bottle.
“Just prior to the attack the man had asked him if he was a priest. When the priest replied that he was, the man attempted to hit him on the head with the bottle, before chasing him to the back of the cathedral.
“The bottle broke on the ground and the man continued using it in his assault. The priest managed to fend him off with a chair before the attacker ran out of the cathedral. The priest escaped without injury.
“Anyone with information is urged to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0823 of Monday 26 July.”
A police spokesperson confirmed: “Around 9.35am on Monday, 26 July, police were called to a report of a 35-year-old man being assaulted within a church in York Place, Edinburgh.
“Officers attended and the victim did not require hospital treatment.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and anyone with information is urged to contact Police Scotland through 101, quoting incident number 0823 of Monday, 26 July, 2021.”