Vatican incident:
President relieved
President Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing a message on the
incident at the Vatican, said:
“We are relieved to know that the Pope Benedict XVI has been unharmed
in the incident at the Vatican on December 25 evening at the start of
the traditional Christmas midnight mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
“We are glad that the Pope was able to proceed with the midnight
mass, unshaken by this attack and later delivered his traditional
Christmas Message and blessings, where he emphasized the need for peace
and understanding, focusing on the world’s needy, mentioning the work of
the Church in Sri Lanka too as a source of reconciliation and peace.
We share the joy of Sri Lankan Catholic community at His Holiness
being unharmed in this incident and wish him continued good health, in
the service of the Church; as we also share in his call for peace and
understanding among all people. We also wish speedy recovery to the
French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, injured in this incident. |