Pope Francis is "
deeply saddened
" by
the "horrific attack
" against a church carried out on Sunday by armed men against a Catholic Church in Nigeria, which left at least 21 dead, the Vatican said Monday evening.
Read alsoGunmen kill 21 worshipers in church attack in Nigeria
"
Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the horrific attack on St Francis' Church in Owo
," wrote Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's second-in-command, in a telegram to the Bishop of Owo.
'Ondo, the state where the city of Owo is located.
The pope assures “
all those affected by this unspeakable act of violence of his spiritual closeness
”, while promising to invoke “
the divine blessings of comfort and strength
” for the faithful of the diocese affected by this tragedy.
The attack happened during the Pentecost celebration at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo town, Ondo state, usually spared by jihadists and criminal gangs active in other areas from the country.
