Flowers have been laid and candles lit at a makeshift memorial outside the Russian consulate in Istanbul on March 23, 2024, a day after a deadly attack by gunmen on a Moscow concert hall killed more than 130 people and wounded dozens more. Four gunmen stormed the Crocus City venue before the start of a rock concert on March 22, opened fire on the audience and set fire to the building, in an assault claimed by the Islamic State group. (AFP)
VATICAN CITY, Holy See 鈥� Pope Francis on Sunday sent prayers to the victims of the , calling the violence 鈥渋nhuman acts鈥� that offended God.
鈥淚 assure my prayers for the victims of the cowardly terrorist attack carried out the other evening in Moscow,鈥� said the 87-year-old pope, following a Palm Sunday mass in Saint Peter鈥檚 Square.
鈥淢ay the Lord welcome them in his peace and comfort their families, and convert the hearts of those鈥� who organise and carry out these inhuman actions which offend God, who commanded 鈥楾hou shalt not kill鈥�.鈥�
The pontiff presided over Palm Sunday Mass in front of a crowd the Vatican estimated at 25,000 people, but spoke in a weak, faltering voice and did not deliver his homily as planned.
He appeared in good spirits following mass, however, circling the piazza, smiling and waving at the crowd from his vehicle.
The pontiff caught flu last month and has subsequently asked others to read his texts at appearances.
Francis has suffered a number of health issues in recent years, from knee and hip pain to an inflamed colon and hernia surgery last year.
Sunday鈥檚 liturgical celebration marked the start of Holy Week, in which the pope presides over a series of important events leading up to Easter, Christianity鈥檚 most important holiday.
Last year, for the first time, Francis missed the traditional 鈥淲ay of the Cross鈥� prayer service on Good Friday.
The weather at the time was unusually cold and he was recovering from a bronchitis infection that saw him hospitalised for three nights.