Pope to visit earthquake victims April 28

Benedict XVI will go by helicopter to Onna, which was completely destroyed by the earthquake, and then to the student dormitory and the basilica of Collemaggio.

VATICAN CITY (AsiaNews) - Benedict XVI will go to Abruzzo to meet with victims of the earthquake last April 28. The announcement was made today by Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, adding that he has been intending to do this for some time.

According to the information from the press office, the pontiff will arrive at 9:30 a.m. in the tent city of Onna, the town that was completely destroyed by the earthquake. After this, he will go to L'Aquila, where he will stop in front of the two most heavily damaged buildings: the student dormitory where a number of university students died, and the basilica of Collemaggio, a treasure of architecture and faith. Finally, at the financial police headquarters, he will meet with representatives of the population and people engaged in relief efforts.

During the helicopter trip, the pope will fly over some of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake. He is scheduled to return to Rome around 12:30.

Two days after the earthquake, on April 8, the pope had said at the Wednesday audience that he hoped to go to the site of the tragedy "as soon as possible." In almost all of his discourses for Holy Week and Easter, he recalled the drama of the population of Abruzzo.

He sent his personal secretary, Msgr. Georg Gänswein, to the state funeral for the victims last April 10, with a message that was read at the beginning of the ceremony in which the pope expressed his "heartfelt participation in the mourning of those who weep for their loved ones taken away from them by this tragedy."

At the end of the Via Crucis at the Colosseum, he again asked everyone to pray "especially for all those suffering from the earthquake in Aquila," in preparation for the Easter vigil, so that "the wonder of the Lord's resurrection" might be revealed.