A priest has been reported missing in Tultepec, State of Mexico.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Catholic priest was reported missing Friday in the State of Mexico, an entity where several criminal groups operate, making it one of the most violent in the country.

The diocese of the municipality of Cuautitlán reported on Friday in a statement the disappearance of priest Ernesto Baltazar Hernández Vilchis, who was last seen on October 27 in the Ampliación La Piedad neighborhood of the municipality of Tultepec.

Hernández Vilchis, 43, had recently taken charge of the Holy Cross parish in Tultepec.

Authorities in the State of Mexico issued a missing person alert.

The disappearance of the religious figure comes three weeks after the murder of priest Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada, who was shot while on his way to officiate mass in the southern town of Mezcala, in the state of Guerrero.

For years, the Mexican Catholic Church has maintained a critical stance towards the violence that plagues vast regions of the country, which has also affected the clergy.

Between January and September, 1,208 homicides were recorded in the State of Mexico, making it the fifth most violent state in the country.

According to authorities, several criminal groups operate in that state, including the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and La Familia Michoacana.