Spanish Bishops express solidarity with victims of Beslan, plea for end of terrorism

Madrid, Spain, Sep 6, 2004 / 22:00 pm

In a telegram addressed to Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Moscow, the President of the Bishops Conference of Spain, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, made a plea in the name of all the Spanish bishops for the end of terrorist violence in Russia, and he offered prayers for the victims of the attack on the Russian school in Beslan.

“In the wake of the murderous violence unleashed in the city of Beslan, which has taken the lives of so many innocent victims, especially children, I send you, Archbishop, the sentiments of solidarity of the Spanish bishops and my own as President of the Spanish Bishops Conference,” the telegram said.

The Archbishop of Madrid also said that the Spanish bishops “unite our prayers for the eternal repose of those who have died, the recovery of those wounded, and the comforting of their family members.”

“We also raise our prayers to the Lord for an end of the terrible scourge of terrorism, whose tremendous consequences have affected the Spanish people for some time.  As Spanish Catholics we feel particularly close at this time to our brother Christians and to all the people of the Russian Federation,” the message continued.

In conclusion, the Cardinal prayed for “the intercession of the Mary, Queen of Peace,” so that “the Lord might grant the precious gift of peace to Europe and the whole world.”