Listen to this report via Vatican Radio:
By Linda Bordoni reporting fom Vatican City
CAIRO/VATICAN CITY (BosNewsLife)– Pope Francis has expressed his solidarity with Egypt’s Coptic Christians following an attack on a bus carrying Coptic pilgrims to a remote desert monastery in Egypt.
Leading thousands of pilgrims in the Regina Caeli prayer in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, May 29, the Pope said he wished to express, yet again, his closeness to his dear brother, Pope Tawadros II and to the whole Egyptian nation that two days ago suffered “another act of ferocious violence.”
“The victims, amongst which were also children, were killed after having refused to renounce their Christian faith” he said.
The pontiff prayed that the Lord “may welcome these courageous witnesses, these martyrs, in his peace and convert the hearts of the terrorists”.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack, which killed 29 people, including children.
On Saturday during a visit to Genoa, Francis prayed for the victims and lamented that there were “more martyrs today than in early Christian times.”
