VATICAN CITY — At the Wednesday General Audience this morning, Pope Francis prayed for the victims of Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in Brussels, which left 34 dead and more than 200 injured, and he called on all people of goodwill to unanimously condemn “these cruel abominations.”
Addressing pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said he followed yesterday’s tragic events “with a sorrowful heart.” He assured the Belgian people of his prayers and asked all the faithful to pray to the Lord, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, “to comfort afflicted hearts, and to convert the hearts of these people who are blinded by cruel fundamentalism.”
Here below we publish the pope’ s appeal.
With a sorrowful heart I followed the sad news of the terrorist attacks yesterday in Brussels, which have left many dead and wounded. I wish to assure the dear Belgian people, the families of the victims, and all of the wounded of my prayers and closeness.
Once again, I appeal to all people of goodwill to join in the unanimous condemnation of these cruel abominations, which are causing only death, terror and horror. I ask everyone to persevere in prayer and to ask the Lord, in this Holy Week, to comfort afflicted hearts and to convert the hearts of these people who are blinded by cruel fundamentalism, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. Let us pray: Hail Mary … Now, in silence, let us pray for the dead, for the wounded, for the families and for all the Belgian people.
Diane Montagnais Rome correspondent for Aleteia’s English edition.
And today we celebrate...