Pope’s message of condolence

(October 08.2011) Pope Benedict XVI expressed his closeness to the bereaved and conveyed his deep sorrow at the death of five persons in the collapse of a building on Monday, at Barletta a city and municipality located on the Adriatic coast in the north of the Apulia region in south eastern Italy. The victims,. all women –Giovanna, Matilde, Tina, Antonella- were textile workers, while the 14-year-old Maria was the daughter of the owners of the textile factory that collapsed. At the funeral services on Friday, the Archbishop Giovanni Battista Pichierri, of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie read the Pope’s message of condolence. Barletta is famous for the Colossus of Barletta, a bronze statue, representing a Roman Emperor (perhaps Theodosius II). “We have no human words that can console us, save perhaps the hope of knowing the truth behind what has happened”, said Archbishop Pichierri. A candlelight procession to pay homage to the deceased was announced for next Monday. Among the wreaths sent to Barletta was one from the President of Italy, Giorgio Napoletano, who expressed his deep shock and indignation at what had happened and decried the beastly conditions under which workers from the south had to operate.