A woman aged in her 50s has been seriously injured in a suspected stabbing before Mass at a church in Co Waterford.
The incident took place at the Holy Cross Church in Summerhill in Tramore at around 9.45am on Tuesday.
The woman, aged in her 50s, received serious but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Waterford University Hospital.
A man has been arrested and a knife was seized by gardaí.
The Diocese of Waterford & Lismore said in a statement it was “deeply shocked” by “a violent incident” that took place before the 10am weekday Mass at the Holy Cross Church.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured parishioner, and we pray for her full and speedy recovery,” it said in a statement.
“We wish to commend the courage and presence of mind shown by the parishioners who assisted during this frightening incident.
“We also thank the priests of the parish for their immediate pastoral care and concern, and we express our sincere gratitude to An Garda Síochána, the National Ambulance Service and all emergency personnel for their prompt response.
“We ask the people of the Diocese to pray for the injured woman, for everyone affected by this distressing incident, and for the parish community of Holy Cross, Tramore.”
A man aged in his 30s was arrested at a nearby domestic residence, gardaí said, and is being detained at a Garda station in Co Waterford under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
Gardaí said the knife would be technically examined.
An appeal has been made for witnesses or those with video footage to come forward.
Any person who was in the area of Summerhill in Tramore between 9.15am and 10.15am on Tuesday is asked to contact gardaí.
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