Pope meets Italian earthquake survivors
January 05, 2017
Pope Francis met on January 6 with survivors of the earthquakes that devastated central Italy in October.
About 800 people from the Diocese of Spoleto-Norcia, led by Bishop Renato Boccardo and including a number of government officials, gathered for a private audience with the Pontiff in the Paul VI auditorium.
After hearing reports about the damage done by the earthquake and the suffering of survivors who had lost their relatives, homes, and businesses, the Pope said that a prepared speech would be an inappropriate response. Instead he offered some extemporaneous reflections on the work of reconstruction that now faces the residents. He said that the survivors will still be scarred by their experiences, but encouraged them to find the strength—by sharing the work—to rebuild their lives.
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