He said that Vatican was following the tragedy during the night with the greatest concern.
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After a truck plowed through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing 84, Pope Francis voiced his sorrow for the act of “blind violence”, and assured the French people of his prayers.
Crowds had been celebrating Bastille Day, which marks the day of France’s independence and is traditionally the country’s biggest public holiday.
Papal spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, S.J., also issued a statement early in the morning of July 15 from Rome.
“We have followed during the night, with the greatest concern, the awful news which has come from Nice”, said the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ.
Pope Francis on Friday expressed his solidarity with France and the victims of Thursday evening’s terrorist attack in Nice, condemning “every manifestation of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism, and attacks against peace”. More than 80 people were killed.
The driver ploughed on for two kilometres on the Promenade des Anglais at about 11pm yesterday, before being shot dead by police. French president François Hollande said the attack was of a “terrorist nature” but no group has claimed responsibility for it yet.
As the death toll rose to 84, with dozens more injured – many of them seriously – President Fancoise Hollande extended France’s present stae of emergency for another three months, and confirmation came from Britsh Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson that one Briton was among the dead.
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He announced that “operational reserves” would be deployed to support the army and security forces throughout France, particularly on the country’s borders.
