Originally published at National Catholic Register
Pope Francis on Saturday expressed his shock and spiritual closeness.
Pope Francis on Saturday expressed his shock at the deadly attack at a Christmas market in eastern Germany that claimed five lives, including that of a child, and left more than 200 injured.
In a telegram sent to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on behalf of the Pontiff, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin conveyed the Holy Father’s “spiritual closeness” to all those affected by the tragedy.
The Pope “prays for the deceased and entrusts the people to Christ, our hope, whose light may shine in the darkness,” the cardinal wrote, expressing gratitude to emergency responders helping victims in “this difficult moment.”
According to officials, the attack left 205 victims in total, with four adults and a 9-year-old child dead. Authorities reported 41 people suffered serious or life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, identified as Taleb A., a 50-year-old man from Saudi Arabia who had been granted asylum in Germany in 2016, drove a black rental car into crowds at a Christmas market in the heart of Magdeburg, a city of 240,000 people located about two hours west of Berlin.
While authorities are investigating the incident as an attack, Chief Public
