Pope Francis expresses his sorrow for Cuban fire victims

Rome, Aug 8 (Prensa Latina) Pope Francis expressed his sorrow on Monday for the victims of the fire that has affected the western Cuban city of Matanzas since Friday, in a message to Cuban ecclesiastical authorities, the Vatican press office reported.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of State of the Holy See, sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Supreme Pontiff to Monsignor Emilio Aranguren Echeverria, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba.

The document notes that the highest representative of the Catholic Church “is closely following the news coming in about the unfortunate accident that has caused a fire and several explosions at the supertanker base in Matanzas, with at least one dead and numerous wounded and missing persons.”

The document also says that the Holy Father conveyed “his spiritual closeness to the Cuban people and to all the families of those affected, and prayed for the Lord will grant them strength at this time of pain and will maintain the extinguishing and searching” work.