Search Discontinued for Missing New Zealand Monk on Remote Scottish Island

The search for 24-year-old Christchurch monk Justin Evans, missing from Papa Stronsay, Scotland, has been called off with the Diocese fearing he has died.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 3:52 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

Disappearance and Presumed Death

Justin Evans was last seen within the Golgotha Monastery, a reclusive traditionalist Catholic community belonging to the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer. Police Scotland issued an appeal describing Evans as wearing a white robe and speaking with a New Zealand accent. In a somber update on April 16, the Diocese of Aberdeen stated that it is believed Evans "came to harm in conditions involving the sea." The monastery’s founder, Father Michael Mary, described the situation as "utterly tragic," suggesting that Evans may have been suffering from "long-term hypothermia" at the time of his disappearance.

The Reclusive Community of Papa Stronsay

Papa Stronsay is a tiny, isolated island within the Orkney archipelago, inhabited solely by the monks of the Redemptorist community. The order purchased the island in the year 2000 and rebuilt a ruined monastery on the site. While the monks are known to be reclusive, they are a familiar sight to residents of the neighboring island of Stronsay when they visit for supplies. Locals describe the community as tight-knit, with approximately 30 families on nearby Stronsay assisting in the search efforts before the official operation was suspended by the Coastguard and police.

Tributes from Christchurch and Beyond

News of Evans’ disappearance has deeply impacted his former community in Christchurch. Jon McDowall, rector of St Bede’s College where Evans was once a student, remembered him as a "charismatic leader" who was highly respected across religious circles. The Diocese of Aberdeen praised Brother Ignatius for his "humility and charity," noting that the entire Redemptorist community is in mourning. Despite the reclusive nature of the order, local residents in Orkney expressed their profound sympathy for Evans' family in New Zealand, emphasizing that "small communities do their best" to support one another in times of crisis.