Pope expresses condolences for victims of Boston Marathon explosions

April 16, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis joined a chorus of world leaders expressing their condolences to the victims of two deadly explosions that disrupted the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's Secretary of State, send a telegram on behalf of Pope Francis to Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley.

In it, the Pope expressed his “sympathy and closeness in prayer,” with the victims of this “senseless tragedy.” He also prayed for peace of the people killed, and consolation and strength for the survivors and emergency responders. The telegram ends with the Pope's call to unity and to face evil by doing good.

FULL TEXT:

HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL SEAN O’MALLEY
ARCHBISHOP OF BOSTON

DEEPLY GRIEVED BY NEWS OF THE LOSS OF LIFE AND GRAVE INJURIES CAUSED BY THE ACT OF VIOLENCE PERPETRATED LAST EVENING IN BOSTON, HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS WISHES ME TO ASSURE YOU OF HIS SYMPATHY AND CLOSENESS IN PRAYER. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THIS SENSELESS TRAGEDY, HIS HOLINESS INVOKES GOD’S PEACE UPON THE DEAD, HIS CONSOLATION UPON THE SUFFERING AND HIS STRENGTH UPON ALL THOSE ENGAGED IN THE CONTINUING WORK OF RELIEF AND RESPONSE. AT THIS TIME OF MOURNING THE HOLY FATHER PRAYS THAT ALL BOSTONIANS WILL BE UNITED IN A RESOLVE NOT TO BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT TO COMBAT EVIL WITH GOOD (CF. ROM 12:21), WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD AN EVER MORE JUST, FREE AND SECURE SOCIETY FOR GENERATIONS YET TO COME.

CARDINAL TARCISIO BERTONE
SECRETARY OF STATE