Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope Benedict XVI to visit the Abruzzo earthquake zone

From Times Online
April 17, 2009


(Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty)
The death toll from the earthquake has risen to 295 after a 19 year old died in hospital from his injuries

Richard Owen in Rome

Pope Benedict XVI is to visit the Abruzzo earthquake zone on 1 May, a week before his trip to the Holy Land, according to rescue workers in the L'Aquila area.

The Vatican said the papal visit to the earthquake zone had yet to be confirmed. However officials involved in the rescue and evacuation effort told Italian media they had been told to expect visit by the Pope on 1 May, a public holiday.

He would arrive by helicopter and meet rescue workers at the Finance Police barracks at L'Aquila, where a mass funeral for the earthquake victims was held a week ago. It is not clear however whether the Pope will hold a memorial mass.

The Pope, who is preparing for his trip to the Holy Land starting on 8 May, celebrated his 82nd birthday yesterday (Thursday) at Caselgandolfo, the papal residence in the Alban Hills south of Rome. On Sunday he will mark the fourth anniversary of his election as pontiff in succession to John Paul II.

The death toll from the earthquake has risen to 295 after a 19 year old named as Tonino Colonna died in hospital from his injuries. The Cabinet led by Silvio Berlusconi, the Prime Minister, is to meet in L'Aquila this evening (Friday) to pass emergency measures to help those affected by the earthquake and launch a reconstruction plan estimated at 12 billion Euros.
more...

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 4:26 PM