Pope Francis has called for prayers for the victims of the attack in Istanbul yesterday and has prayed their loved ones may be comforted.
At the conclusion of today’s General Audience in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, the Pope made the following appeal: “Before concluding our encounter, in which we reflected together on God’s mercy, I invite you to pray for the victims of the attack that took place yesterday in Istanbul.”
“May God, the Merciful, give eternal peace to the dead, comfort to the families, firmly united the entire society, and convert the hearts of the violent,” he prayed.
Yesterday, an ISIS suicide bomber killed at least 10 people in a popular central Istanbul tourist area, near the city’s famous Blue Mosque. The lives claimed included nine Germans and one Peruvian tourist. Sources report that more than 15 people were injured.
