Priest escapes injury after fighting off bottle-wielding attacker in Edinburgh cathedral
It happened in St Mary's Catholic Cathedral
Church leaders say a priest was attacked by a man with a glass bottle while he was sitting praying on his own in Edinburgh's St Mary's Cathedral.
Police have confirmed they're investigating the incident, which happened on Monday morning.
The Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh posted a statement online, which said the priest was sitting alone praying in a pew when a man approached him and asked if he was a priest.
The statement read: "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 statement said.
"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."
Police Scotland confirmed officers were called at around 9:35am to a report of a 35-year-old man being assaulted.
A spokesperson said: "Officers attended and the victim did not require hospital treatment.
"Inquiries 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 July 26 2021."