Pope Francis Daily

Pope Francis assured his prayers for the victims of two terror attacks on churches Egypt on Palm Sunday.

The attacks by ISIS suicide bombers resulted in the deaths of at least 40 people, at St. George’s Church in Tanta and at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria Egypt. The attack took place as the Catholic faithful were observing Palm Sunday services. Pope Francis asked the world to pray for the victims.

“We pray for the victims claimed this morning,” Pope Francis said after praying the midday Angelus with those in St. Peter’s Square.

“To my dear brother, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II,” Pope Francis continued, “to the Coptic Church and to all the dear Egyptian nation I express my deep condolences. I pray for the dead and the injured, and I am close in spirit to the family members [of the deceased and injured] and to the entire community.”

Pope Francis added, “May the Lord convert the hearts of the people who are sowing terror, violence and death, and also the hearts of those who make and traffic weapons.”

According to the New York Times, the patriarch of the Egyptian Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros II, was in the Alexandria church during the attack, but was not injured.

Pope Francis will be visiting Egypt later this month, on April 28-29.