TELEGRAM FOR ACCIDENT IN SPAIN WHICH KILLED 27 STUDENTS

VATICAN CITY, JULY 7, 2000 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, in Pope John Paul's name, for the accident yesterday afternoon in Spain which took the lives of 27 students of two religious institutes:

"The Holy Father, greatly saddened by the news of the traffic accident which occurred in the vicinity of Soria and which caused the deaths of 27 persons as well as numerous wounded, for the most part young students from the colleges of San Esteve in Ripollet and Modolell in Villadecamps, as well as teachers and those who accompanied them who were going to a summer camp organized by the Brothers of Christian Instruction of St. Gabriel, offers prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased. Likewise, the Holy Father expresses his deep sympathy to the relatives of the victims and to the organizers of this formative activity, together with his heartfelt expression of closeness and comfort and of great concern and he hopes that the wounded will heal soon. In these moments of pain he imparts his heartfelt and comforting apostolic blessing as a sign of hope in the Risen Christ."

TGR;ACCIDENT;...;SPAIN; SODANO;VIS;20000707;Word: 210;