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Italy: World prays for quake victims as rescue efforts continue


Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Prayers are being said around the world as rescue teams race against time to reach people buried under rubble following Wednesday's devastating earthquake in central Italy. Hundreds of volunteers have come from all over Italy to assist them. Pope Francis yesterday sent six members of the Vatican's fire service to help Italy's Civil Protection workers search for survivors and care for those already rescued. The death toll has now risen to 250 and there are fears it will rise further.

Bishop Giovanni D'Ercole of Ascoli Piceno, one of two Italian dioceses worst hit by the quake, visited Pescara del Tronto and Ascoli to comfort his flock and dig through the rubble for survivors. In an interview with Vatican Radio's Debora Donnini on Thursday morning, Bishop D'Ercole said: "The word which keeps returning most often is this: 'Don't abandon us, because we now have nothing left.'" The bishop said he remained among his people in Pescara del Tronto until midnight on Wednesday before returning to Ascoli where people were sleeping outside for fear of further aftershocks.

He said he when he visited the ruined church of Pescara del Tronto and dug through the rubble with his hands he salvaged a crucifix and found an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

On Wednesday evening, Bishop Giovanni celebrated Mass for the Dead in the chapel of Hospital Mazzoni in Ascoli Piceno. He said seeing the bereaved families with their deceased little ones reminded him of the suffering and death of Jesus.

He said: "Yesterday a mother spent the entire day with a rosary in her hand, hugging one of our volunteers. This woman had lost her mother and son under the rubble. She was desperately hoping that they would be found alive. When the miracle for which she had hoped did not occur, she told me: 'That's how God wanted it; that's how Jesus wanted it.'"

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Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland said he was deeply saddened to hear about the disaster. "I offer my prayerful solidarity to the people of the affected areas and for their loved ones who have been injured and killed. " he said.

"I also ask for prayers of support to those providing emergency assistance and medical treatment to the injured and displaced. Many Irish people have friends and family living in Italy or have spent time there on holidays and, at this time of human loss, I encourage everyone, through payer and friendship, to express solidarity with our Italian community in our parishes, schools and workplaces."

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