The Vatican has confirmed the brutal beheading of a Catholic priest by Syrian rebels. A disturbingly graphic video showing the priest being decapitated by jihadists was posted online.

It has now been confirmed that Fr Francois Murad (49) was butchered and his killers apparently used a kitchen knife for the beheading.

According to a report from Catholic Online, Fr Murad was beheaded in northern Syria on June 23 while setting up a monastery in Gassanieh.