Vatican City (AsiaNews) "Profoundly grieved" by yesterday's tragedy in Baghdad: in a telegram of condolences sent to the Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq, Benedict XVI "ensures his prayers" for peace in the country and invites the "believers in the One God", to "deplore all forms of violence" and to cooperate "in a climate of reconciliation and reciprocal trust."
Here is the telegram's full text (AsiaNews translation)
To His Excellency Rev. Monsignor Fernando Filoni, Apostolic Nuncio in Iraq
Profoundly grieved by the news of the great tragedy that took place in Baghdad near the Sci'ite Mosque of Al Kazimiyah which caused so many victims among the pilgrims gathered for the commemorative ceremony the Supreme Pontiff calls upon Your Excellency to express the sentiments of his sincere condolences to civil and religious authorities, to the relatives of victims and to the entire population. In entrusting to divine mercy those who so dramatically perished, the Holy Father ensures his prayer that a climate of reconciliation and reciprocal trust can take hold in the country and hopes that all believers in the One God can unite to deplore all forms of violence and can cooperate toward the return to harmony in the troubled Iraqi land.
Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State
