Man stabs Catholic priest hours after watching The Da Vinci Code

Father Caino Calitri, 68, was in a critical condition in a Rome hospital last night after he was repeatedly stabbed in the neck by 25-year-old Marco Luzi.

Police found a note in one of Luzi's pockets reading: 'This is just the beginning, 666'  -  a number linked to the Devil.

Luzi  -  who also stabbed three bystanders who came to Father Calitri's aid on Tuesday  -  told police he had watched The Da Vinci Code the night before.

Violence: Paul Bettany as Silas the monk gets to grips with Audrey Tautou as Agent Sophie Neveu in a scene from The Da Vinci Code. A Catholic priest is fighting for his life after being attacked by a man who saw the film

Officers who visited his flat also found a print of The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci and a note. which read, 'I, the antiChrist'.

The attack took place at the Santa Marcella church in Rome. Besides Father Canistri - who was stabbed in the throat - two people in the church at the time were also attacked.

Hero police officer Luca Gori, 41, who disarmed Luzi, suffered knife wounds to his stomach as he struggled with him on the floor of the church.

Witnesses said Luzi had burst in armed with two knives and carrying a set of rosary beads, shouting that he was the 'Antichrist' and yelling about the Da Vinci Code.

Vittorio Rizzi, of Rome's flying squad, said:'There certainly seemed to be a link between the film and the attack. He told us he had seen the Da Vinci Code on TV the night before.

'Then he said he had heard voices in his head telling him to carry out his mission and we also found a copy of Da Vinci's Last Supper at his home.'

The theme of the antiChrist and the fresco figure prominently in the book and its film adaptation, both of which have been condemned by the Vatican.

Published in 2003 Brown's The Da Vinci Code has caused controversy around the world and it follows symbologist Robert Langdon as he investigates a murder in the Louvre.

He then goes onto discover a battle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus having been married to and fathering children with Mary Magdalene.

The film  -  which starred Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen  -  outraged many Catholics because of its claim that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children.