On Sunday, January 28, 2024, around 11:40 local time (08:40 GMT), two masked gunmen attacked a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul, Turkey, during the morning mass. The church was the Santa Maria Church in the Sariyer district, a 19th Century building that serves a small Catholic community.
The gunmen opened fire at the worshippers, killing one person and injuring several others with the victim identified as CT, a disabled man who was among those attending the service.
The assailants fled the scene after the shooting. The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, but Turkish officials condemned it as a “vile attack” and expressed their solidarity with the Catholic community.
The Pope also offered his support and closeness to the church after the attack.