[Anglican Communion News Service] A novice in the Anglican Church of Melanesia’s Melanesian Brotherhood has been killed and another badly beaten in a street attack in the Solomon Islands last week.

Novice Jackson Lodo and another novice were walking to Tabalia from the capital Honiara when they were the victims of an unprovoked attacked on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 30.

Jackson was killed and his companion, a third year novice, was violently assaulted but managed to escape. Radio New Zealand International reported that the survivor is currently in hospital.

The police have mounted a full investigation into the attack, which is said to have left the Melanesian Brotherhood in shock but eager that the attack not to lead to further violence.

The funeral for Jackson was held on Nov. 1 and both the Head Brother Matthias Tovotasi, and primate of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand & Polynesia Archbishop Philip Richardson have asked people to pray for the victims, the religious community and the victims’ families.

The Melanesian Brotherhood is an Anglican religious community based primarily on the Solomon Islands, but which is expanding into other parts of the world. It was founded in in 1900 by a Ini Kopuria, a Solomon Islander on the Island of Guadalcanal.

Learn more about the Melanesian Brotherhood here.