Pope: Spiritual Closeness to Quake Victims

Dear friends, as soon as possible I hope to come and visit you. Know that the Pope prays for everyone, imploring the Lord's mercy.

VATICAN CITY (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope reiterated his "spiritual closeness to the beloved community of L'Aquila and its outlying villages, so severely affected by the violent earthquake of recent days, which caused numerous victims, many injured and vast material damage.

"The promptness with which the authorities, security forces, volunteers and other workers are helping these our brothers and sisters shows how important solidarity is in order to overcome such difficult trials together. Once again I wish to tell those dear people that the Pope shares their suffering and concerns.

"Dear friends, as soon as possible I hope to come and visit you. Know that the Pope prays for everyone, imploring the Lord's mercy for the deceased, and the maternal comfort of Mary and the support of Christian hope for survivors and families".

Benedict XVI then went on to greet 4,300 students from 200 universities who are currently attending the UNIV international congress, being held this week in Rome under the auspices of the Prelature of Opus Dei.

"Dear friends", said the Pope, "I encourage you to respond with joy to the Lord's call in order to give full meaning to your lives: in your studies, in your relationships with your colleagues, in the family and in society. 'Many things depend', St. Josemaria Escriva said, 'on whether you and I live our lives as God wants', an important teaching", the Holy Father concluded, "upon which it is necessary to meditate".