Giuseppe Ciccia/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images(AMATRICE, Italy) — Pope Francis visited the town of Amatrice in central Italy that was devastated by a major earthquake that struck last month, comforting the survivors and speaking with emergency responders.
One elderly woman described as being homeless by the Vatican press office appeared to break down in tears, as the pope held her hand and touched her forehead.
Pope Francis with elderly left homeless by the #Amatrice earthquake pic.twitter.com/XAfcBnaz8t
— Greg Burke (@GregBurkeRome) October 4, 2016
Accompanied by the bishop of Rieti, monsignor Domenico Pompili, the pope visited a school before moving to the “red zone,” the area almost completely leveled in the 6.2 magnitude quake on Aug. 24. That part of the town that has been sealed off for security reasons.
Sunday on his return flight from Baku, the pope told reporters that he planned to do this visit “privately, alone, like a priest, bishop, pope. But alone.”
“That is how I want to do it,” the Pope said. “And I want to be near the people.”
#Pope Francis at the site of the earthquake#PapaFrancesco #Amatrice pic.twitter.com/P7aOxgbPp5
— Greg Burke (@GregBurkeRome) October 4, 2016
During his Angelus on Aug. 28, the pope had expressed his “spiritual closeness to the people of Lazio, Marche and Umbria, which were hard hit by the earthquake in these days.”
Silent Prayer#PapaFrancesco #Amatrice pic.twitter.com/8CPporjOof
— Greg Burke (@GregBurkeRome) October 4, 2016
“Once again I say to these dear people that the church shares their suffering and their worries,” the pope said. “Dear Brothers and sisters, as soon as I can I too hope to come and meet you, to bring you the comfort of faith, the embrace of a father and brother and the support of Christian hope.”
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