Appresa la notizia della strage avvenuta ieri in una bidonville di Quezon City, sobborgo di Manila, nella quale hanno perso la vita decine di persone, travolte da una frana di fango e rifiuti, il Santo Padre ha fatto pervenire, tramite il Cardinale Angelo Sodano, Segretario di Stato, il telegramma di cordoglio che riportiamo di seguito:

CARDINAL JAIME SIN

ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA

121 ARZOBISPO STREET

INTRAMUROS

THE HOLY FATHER WAS DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY THE LANDSLIDE AT PAYATAS, AND IN THE LOVE OF THE LORD JESUS HE ASKS YOU TO CONVEY HIS CONDOLENCES TO ALL WHO ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY. CONSCIOUS THAT THE VICTIMS WERE AMONG THE POOREST OF THE POOR, HIS HOLINESS PRAYS FERVENTLY THAT, LIKE LAZARUS WHO IS POOR NO LONGER (CF. LK 16:20-22), THEY WILL FIND ETERNAL HAPPINESS IN THE EMBRACE OF GOD WHO "WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES" (REV 21:4), AND HE EXPRESSES THE HOPE THAT THE SURVIVORS WILL RECEIVE THE PROMPT ASSISTANCE AND THE SUPPORT WHICH THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY DEMANDS. ENTRUSTING THE PEOPLE OF PAYATAS TO THE LOVING CARE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE HOLY FATHER IMPARTS HIS APOSTOLIC BLESSING AS A PLEDGE OF STRENGTH AND PEACE IN JESUS CHRIST, "THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD" (COL 1:18).

CARDINAL ANGELO SODANO

SECRETARY OF STATE

[01573-02.01] [Original text: English]