Baghdad (AsiaNews) -- "We thank the Lord with all our heart for the liberation of the Italian hostages on the eve of the Feasts of the Most Holy Sacrament and the Sacred Heart," His Beatitude Emmanuel Delly, Patriarch of Baghdad, told AsiaNews, saying that the news brought him great joy. The Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed this afternoon the news of the release of the 3 Italian hostages, kidnapped April 10th along with Fabrizio Quattrocchi, who was killed April 15.
"We are very pleased by this positive outcome. As always we put our trust in God and pray that his will be done always. Patriarch Delly has not forgotten however the suffering caused by the death of Fabrizio Quattrocchi: "We pray that the Lord blesses the eternal rest of the Italian who was tragically killed".
Asked if the Iraqi Church played a role in their release, the Patriarch simply replied, "I prefer not to comment on that". During the kidnapping, Msgr Shlemon Warduni, Bishop of Baghdad, had made a series of contacts in the Shi'te and Sunni communities aimed at obtaining the release of the hostages.
The Patriarch asks for everyone's collaboration and prayers so that one day Iraq may have a better future: "We must all do whatever is possible to bring peace and security to Iraq. Pray for us". (MR)