Father Lombardi, SJ: condemns violence in Nigeria

Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, released the following statement regarding the deadly bomb attacks on Christmas day in Nigeria:

Regretfully the attacks at the Church of Saint Theresa in Abuja , timed to coincide with Christmas day celebrations, are once again the expression of the cruelty of blind and absurd hatred devoid of any respect for human life and represent an attempt to generate and fuel further hatred and confusion. We express our closeness to the suffering of the Church and of all the Nigerian people who have been affected by violent terrorism even during these days that should be of joy and peace. While we pray for the victims, we also express the hope that this senseless violence will not weaken the will for peaceful cohabitation and dialogue in the nation.