Pope Francis sent a condolence telegram to the victims of a tragic road accident in Cartagena, Spain. The message was sent to Bishop Jose Manuel Lorca Planes of Cartagena by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State.
The accident occurred roughly past midnight on Saturday when a coach bus went off a highway road into a ravine. Among the 14 victims who died in the accident was Fr. Miguel Conesa Andujar, a young parish priest from Bullas.
Cardinal Parolin expressed to Bishop Lorca the Pope’s “spiritual closeness to those affected by such an unfortunate tragedy.”
“In his prayers, the Holy Father asks God fervently for the eternal repose of the souls of the departed, for the full recovery of the injured, and for the consolation of those who have lost their loved ones,” the telegram stated.
“In these moments of profound sadness and consternation,” the telegram concluded, “the Holy Father, while invoking the maternal protection of Mary Most Holy over the children of these noble lands, urges them to find in faith the encouragement and the strength of spirit to overcome these painful circumstances, and impart to them the comfort of his apostolic blessing, as a sign of hope in the risen Christ”
The accident, which is considered to be the worst road accident in Spain in 13 years, also left 30 people wounded. Spanish authorities have arrested the driver and charged him with negligence and homicide as initial reports stated that he was driving too fast on the road.
The funeral for the victims took place earlier today and was attended by Spanish King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
