Prayers for the victims and their families, for the Russian people, for the good of the city of Moscow. Two hours after the attacks that hit two underground stations at rush time in Moscow, killing 37 people (number to be confirmed), the Churches prefer to express, in their pain, the silence of prayer. Of “pain in the heart” speaks the patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Kirill, who writes, in a release published this morning: “I pray for the repose of the dead, for the comfort of their beloved ones, for the fast healing of the injured”. In addition, the Patriarch says he has entrusted the clergy with “visiting the injured in the hospitals”. And he adds that “unfortunately it is not the first time” Russia is the victim of such terrorist attacks and “danger is luring for all of us, at any time”. “But the response to such danger must not be fear, panic or rage. But “the unity of our people” and “the strong will of stopping the terrorists and those who support them” As soon as they learnt of the terrorist attacks, the Catholic archdiocese of the Mother of God, in Moscow, did a round of calls to find out whether any member of the Catholic community had been injured or killed. The bombs actually went off at a time Mass was being celebrated in two churches near the bombed areas. “Luckily though – says over the phone mgr. Paolo Pezzi, archbishop of Moscow – we found everyone was there, it was a matter of minutes”. Then, he confesses: “Anything that might be said right now would be uncalled for”. “Bewilderment” is strong. “We live in this population” and such terrorist attacks – the archbishop points out – “hit innocent, simple people”. The only thing the archbishop feels he can say is that as early as tonight, but above all tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, when the Catholic Churches of Moscow and Petersburg officiate Chrismal Mass ahead of time, they will pray for the victims, “for the good of this population and of this city”.

© SIR - 29 march 2010