TELEGRAM FOR VICTIMS OF MASSACRE IN CHURCH IN PAKISTAN

VATICAN CITY, OCT 28, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, in the name of Pope John Paul to Archbishop Alessandro D'Errico, apostolic nuncio in Pakistan, for the victims of the massacre which took place this morning during Mass in the Christian church in Bahawalpur, Pakistan:

"His Holiness Pope John Paul II has learned with the deepest sadness about the terrible violence in a Catholic church at Bahawalpur in the diocese of Multan when a group of armed men fired on Christians gathered there in prayer. Expressing his absolute condemnation of this further tragic act of intolerance His Holiness asks Your Excellency to convey his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims whom he commends to the Lord. He expresses his prayerful closeness to all affected by this evil act and as a pledge of comfort and strength he invokes upon the entire community the blessings of Almighty God."

TGR;MASSACRE; PAKISTAN;...;SODANO; D'ERRICO;VIS;20011029;Word: 170;