POPE EVOKES ALL SOULS DAY, PRAYS FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 3, 2002 (VIS) - Pope John Paul appeared at the window of his study at noon today to recite the Angelus prayer and to address the faithful gathered below in St. Peter's Square. In brief remarks, he referred to yesterday's commemoration of All Souls Day and also asked for prayers for the victims of the earthquake in Italy.

Speaking about All Souls Day, the Pope noted that "a chorus of prayers from the Church throughout the world was raised to the God of life and peace that He might receive all souls into His kingdom of infinite light, especially the most abandoned and in need of His mercy." He added that "the world today needs more than ever to rediscover the sense of living and dying in the prospect of eternal life. Outside of this, modern culture, born to exalt man and his dignity, paradoxically becomes a culture of death."

The Holy Father then remarked that tomorrow, November 4 is the liturgical memory of St. Charles Borromeo, for whom he was named, and he expressed his "gratitude to all those who, having remembered this occasion, have sent me best wishes for my name day." He also thanked everyone for their prayers on his behalf.

After praying the Angelus, John Paul II observed that "today we have all participated spiritually in the pain of the community of San Giuliano di Puglia, so very tried by the tragic deaths of so many of her children. Once again I wish to tell those dear families that the Pope is close to them and is praying for them, imploring the Lord, through the intercession of Mary, mother of mercy, for the comfort of faith and Christian hope."

Earlier in the day, the Pope had sent a separate message, through Archbishop Paolo Romeo, apostolic nuncio in Italy, to the people of San Giuliano di Puglia who held funeral services this morning for the 29 victims, mostly children, who died when their school collapsed following the earthquake.

"In this time of deep pain for so many families of San Giuliano di Puglia who, shattered by pain, are about to say farewell to their dear ones, I wish to once again express my paternal closeness to them, commending into the hands of the Father Who is in heaven the young lives of those who died and imploring for everyone the comfort of faith and Christian hope. For the beloved community of San Giuliano I ask the Lord for the gift of serenity in this tragic circumstance, certain that this will give everyone sentiments of deep solidarity, which is a precious legacy of the Italian people."

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