Pope’s Easter eggs for Italy’s quake-hit children

(April 11, 2009) Some 500 Easter eggs arrived on Holy Saturday morning at the Church of St. Francis in Pettino in central Italy’s Abruzzo region, severely hit by violent earthquake on Monday. The chocolate eggs were from the Vatican - Pope Benedict XVI Easter gifts for the children of the region hit by the disaster. Vatican’s gendarmes personally delivered hundreds of boxes to Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari of Aquila. “We are grateful to the Pope for his great closeness to us in this dramatic moment,” said the archbishop, particularly moved by the Pope’s gesture. “This is also a sign of solidarity with our children,” he added.
Pope Benedict on Wednesday said he would pay the people a visit, but did not specify when. Vatican spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi indicatted it would be some time after Easter.
Two Vatican gendarmes in a huge truck began distributing the Easter eggs immediately in Pettino, some 16 kms. from L’Aquila, the city worst affected by the natural disaster. An collection centre for aid has been set by Caritas in Pettino. Archbishop Molinari accompanied the Vatican gendarmes for the initial distribution of the Pope’s Easter eggs to children.