Scotland

A body has been recovered from the sea near Orkney in the search for Brother Ignatius, the 24-year-old monk who disappeared from the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer on Papa Stronsay in April. Police Scotland said formal identification has yet to take place, but his family has been informed The body of a young monk missing from Papa Stronsay’s Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer since April has been recovered from the sea near Orkney. Police Scotland said a man’s body was discovered in the water off the neighbouring island of Stronsay shortly after 7.30am on May 7. Formal identification has yet to take place, but the family of Justin Evans, 24, known in religion as Brother Ignatius, has been informed. In a statement, Police Scotland said: “The death is being treated as unexplained. Inquiries are ongoing. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course.” Brother Ignatius, originally from New Zealand, disappeared from Golgotha Monastery on Papa Stronsay shortly before midnight on April 11. He had been living with the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, a traditionalist Redemptorist community based on the isolated Orkney island. The disappearance prompted a major multi-agency search operation involving Police Scotland, HM Coastguard, an RNLI lifeboat and rescue helicopter crews. The search focused on the coastline and surrounding waters amid fears that the monk had entered the sea during harsh weather conditions. Last month, the Bishop of Aberdeen, Hugh Gilbert OSB, confirmed that authorities believed the monk had “come to harm in conditions involving the sea” and announced that official search efforts had been suspended. In a statement released through the diocese regarding today’s news, Bishop Gilbert said: “The Diocese has learned with deep sadness of the disappearance and presumed death of Justin Evans, also known as Brother Ignatius, aged 24, a member of the Redemptorist Community on the island of Papa Stronsay. “It is believed that he came to harm in conditions involving the sea. The local police and coastguard services have now called off their searches. “Brother Ignatius was known for his humility and charity, and our prayers are with his community and family at this difficult time.” The monk had been with the community for around two years. Members of the monastery described his disappearance as the greatest tragedy to affect the order since its arrival on Papa Stronsay in 1999. Speaking previously to local media in Scotland, Fr Michael Mary, the superior of the community, said: “The situation is utterly tragic. We are a close community and this has hit us all very hard and is deeply hurting.” He added that Brother Ignatius came from a deeply religious family and that three of his brothers had also entered monastic life. “Two brothers lived here with him so we are living both a deep family tragedy and a huge community loss,” he said. The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists, settled on the island after purchasing it for £200,000 more than 25 years ago. The community had previously been based on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent before relocating to Orkney in search of a more secluded monastic life centred on prayer, penance and the traditional liturgy. The community originated within the orbit of the Society of St Pius X before distancing itself from the Society in the early 2000s amid internal disputes over authority and relations with Rome. After a prolonged period in an irregular canonical position, the monks and priests were reconciled with the Holy See under Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2008 and recognised as a religious institute of diocesan right under the Diocese of Aberdeen. Their return to communion was at the time viewed as a notable success in Benedict XVI’s efforts to restore unity with traditionalist groups attached to the pre-conciliar liturgy. That reconciliation has now effectively collapsed following the publication of “ The Dogma to Steer By” . The language of the community’s latest statement places it firmly within the sedevacantist milieu, going considerably further than the Society of St Pius X, which continues to recognise the legitimacy of the Roman Pontiff despite its opposition to aspects of the Second Vatican Council and subsequent reforms. The Papa Stronsay monks now openly reject the authority of “Leo XIV and his bishops” while advocating an “Imperfect General Council” to restore the Church, a position associated with more radical traditionalist currents.