During his General Audience, Pope Francis asks everyone to pray for a Nigerian priest murdered last Sunday and to remember the suffering people of Ukraine.
By Vatican News staff writer
At the General Audience on Wednesday, Pope Fancis asked everyone to remember in their prayers the many Christians who suffer violence directly. He spoke in particular about Father Isaac Achi of the Diocese of Minna in northern Nigeria who was murdered last Sunday in his parish residence.
Bandits targeted the Fr. Achi and assistant parish priest, Fr. Collins Omeh at the residence of the Church of Sts Peter and Paul, in Kafin-Koro, in the Paikoro region. The robbers set fire to the residence, burning Fr. Achi alive, while they shot and injured Fr. Omeh who tried to escape.
Consolation and peace for Ukraine
The Pope then turned his thoughts to “battered Ukraine” calling on everyone to remember the people in their prayers as they greatly need “our closeness, consolation, and above all peace.” He also recalled the latest missile attack that took place last Saturday killing and injuring many civilians, among them children.
“The images and the testimonies of this tragic episode are a powerful appeal to our consciences. No one can remain indifferent!”
Media reports say over 40 died and 75 were wounded in a Russian missile strike that hit an apartament building in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday. Dozens remain missing and rescue efforts to find them are continuing.
