Abbot arrested in monastery fire

GLOZHENE, Bulgaria, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- An Eastern Orthodox abbot was hospitalized after his arrest for allegedly shooting at laymen and setting fire twice to a Bulgarian monastery, officials said.

Jeromonk Pankratiy, the abbot of Glozhene Monastery, allegedly set fire to the facility after taking shots at visitors with whom he had quarreled, the Sofia News Agency reported Sunday.

Pankratiy allegedly fired a gas pistol at the laymen just after midnight Sunday and then set the monastery on fire before driving off in his vehicle -- which was also burned, the news agency said.

Firefighters put out the fire, but Pankratiy allegedly came back at 6 a.m. and started a second blaze.

Police arrested Pankratiy, who was taken to a hospital for treatment of an injury to his right hand, Sofia News Agency reported.

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