Henri D’Anselme, 24, a traditional Catholic who walked the Chartres Pilgrimage as a scout for many years, has been hailed in France as the “backpack hero”, a young man who challenged a knife-wielding attacker who stabbed four young children and two adults in a playground in Annecy.

French scouts in Chartres Cathedral for the TLM at the close of the Pentecost Pilgrimage

Henri was touring France's cathedrals and began his tour at the Traditional Benedictine Abby of Barroux. The VP of Notre-Dame de Chretiente, the organization responsible for the Chartres Pilgrimage, told The Remnant that Henri was the president of 'Missio' for 3 years, a traditional Catholic association of students.

On Thursday, in the French town of Annecy, Henri saw a man stabbing children in a park. Risking his life, Henri intervened to stop the man from attacking them. Quoting government officials, Reuters reported that the “suspected assailant was a Syrian refugee.” 

“It was impossible to let people be attacked by this person who seemed to be a furious madman," Henri told French TV. “He tried at one point to attack me, our eyes met and I realized it was someone not in any normal state, there was something very bad in him that had to be stopped.”

Four children and two others were wounded in the attack. According to Reuters, “Two of the wounded children and one adult were in hospital in a life-threatening condition, while the other victims were less seriously hurt.” Social media users are praising Henri for his courageous intervention.

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