Vatican City (AsiaNews) John Paul II's heart goes out "to the relatives of the dead and the wounded", victims of "the savage seizure in North Ossetia that resulted from a vile and ruthless attack against helpless children and their families".
In a telegram sent to Mgr. Antonio Menini, the Holy See's representative in Russia, Card. Angelo Sodano, expressed on behalf of the Pope his sorrow for the victims of the terrorist attack in a school in Beslan, North Ossetia. Offering his prayers, the Holy Father condemns "all forms of terrorism and hopes that the spiral of hatred and violence does not prevail."
Here is the text of the telegram:
HAVING LEARNT BLOODY END TO SAVAGE SEIZURE IN NORTH OSSETIA FROM VILE AND RUTHLES ATTACK AGAINST HELPLESS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SUPREME PONTIFF CHARGES YOUR EXCELLENCY TO IMMEDIATELY EXPRESS HIS AFFECTION FOR RUSSIAN PEOPLE IN THIS HOUR OF DISMAY AND ANXIETY (.) IN EXPRESSING HIS CLOSENESS TO RELATIVES OF DEAD AND WOUNDED HOLY FATHER COMMENDS INNOCENT VICTIMS OF THIS TRAGEDY TO GOD'S MERCY PLEADING FOR THEIR ETERNAL REST (.) ONCE MORE HIS HOLINESS DEPLORES ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM AND HOPES THAT SPIRAL OF HATRED AND VIOLENCE DOES NOT PREVAIL AND WHILE HE PLEADS WITH HOLY VIRGIN SO VENERATED BY RUSSIAN CHRISTIANS THAT SHE MAY BRING WISDOM AND THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION TO EVERYONE'S HEART HE INVOKES FOR ALL THOSE TOUCHED BY SUCH A SAVAGE ATTACK THE CONFORTING BLESSING OF GOD ALMIGHTY.
CARDINAL ANGELO SODANO
SECRETARY OF STATE
