VATICAN CITY, NOV. 7, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI expressed his sadness at a recent road accident in Portugal that claimed the lives of 13 peoples and injured 24.
The Pope offered his condolences today, when he addressed Portuguese pilgrims who had participated in today's general audience.
He said to them in Portuguese, "May the strong arm of the heavenly Father protect and console everyone. To the families affected by this tragedy and to those working to alleviate its consequences, I give assurances of my particular solidarity and prayers."
The accident, which took place in western Portugal, involved a head-on collision between a car and a bus carrying university students who were returning from a visit to the Shrine of Fatima.
Last July, the Pope offered condolences for another bus accident involving pilgrims. Twenty-six Polish pilgrims died when their bus went off the road as they were returning home from the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in France.
ZE07110705 - 2007-11-07