Pope Francis has condemned the terrorist attack in Nice in which at least 84 people were killed and many more wounded.
In a message to the Bishop of Nice, André Marceau, Francis lamented that violence had “once again” struck the country. The telegram, issued by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, said the Pope “shares deeply the pain of the bereaved families”.
It went on: “He offers his sympathy to the people who were wounded as well as to those who came to their aid, asking the Lord to support each person in difficulty.”
It followed a statement from the Vatican press office that said: “We condemn in an absolute manner every manifestation of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism, and attacks against peace.”
The driver ploughed a heavy truck at high speeds into a crowd that had just watched a fireworks display for Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais. The truck was finally stopped after travelling two kilometres and the 30-year-old driver was killed in a shootout with police.
At least 10 children are among the dead in the Riviera city, according to agency reports; hundreds remain in hospital, some critically injured.
The attack comes just eight months after gunmen and suicide bombers from the so-called Islamic State struck Paris on 13 November, 2015, killing 130 people. Four months ago, Belgian Islamists linked to the Paris attackers killed 32 people at a Brussels airport.
The Pope described the terror attacks in Paris as part of a “piecemeal third world war” while stressing there can never be any religious justification for such actions. He called for better integration of Muslims in Europe citing the new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, a Muslim, as illustrating the need for the continent to “rediscover its capacity to integrate”.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols in London joined with Muslim faith leaders to condemn the attack: "Together, as religious leaders we pray that peace and not violence, compassion and not hate will triumph as the people of Nice try to rebuild their community", they said in a joint statement.
The Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Leo Cushley, who was on his way back from Lourdes when the news broke, tweeted: “As we leave Lourdes, our prayers are with those killed in Nice and for their families #PrayForNice.”
The Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, said: "Our thoughts and prayers are also with the first responders and with members of the French community living here in Ireland. I invite everyone to undertake an act of kindness or compassion this weekend, perhaps in some small way to counterbalance with love this awful crime."
Thoughts and prayers for the victims and all affected by the terrible lorry attack in Nice #PrayForNice #NiceAttack pic.twitter.com/j4CXCSTIUS
— Catholic Church (@catholicEW) July 15, 2016
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