Rome, Italy, Aug 26, 2016 / 07:39 pm (CNA).- A group of Holy See firefighters sent by Pope Francis to an earthquake-devastated town in Italy rescued a three-year-old boy from the rubble of his home.
According to Vatican Radio, the firefighters were able to rescue the little boy, but were unable to save the lives of his parents or 10-year-old sister. The family had been buried in the rubble of their home in the town of Amatrice when it collapsed in the August 24 earthquake.
The group of firefighters was sent by the Holy Father after a 6.2-Richter scale earthquake tore through Northern Italy. They brought rosaries and images blessed by the pontiff, and worked to rescue victims.
In addition to firefighters, the Pope sent a group of Vatican police to the area on August 25.
Vatican Radio reported that at the Pope’s August 25 Mass in the Casa Santa Marta chapel, prayers were offered for all those affected by the event.
The death toll from the earthquake has reached at least 281, with more than 200 people rescued from the rubble. Because the quake occurred in the early morning, many people were sleeping and unable to escape, increasing the number of people buried when buildings collapsed. Amatrice was among the hardest-hit areas.
Along with the firefighters and police, there are several doctors and nurses from the Vatican prepared to travel to the earthquake-affected areas if their help is needed.
Article Archive
Firefighters sent by Pope rescue 3-old-boy after earthquake
Related Articles • More Articles
The state capitol building of New Hampshire in Concord, New Hampshire. / Credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesCNA Newsroom, Mar 28, 2024 / 11:30 am (CNA).The New Hampshire House of Representatives is poised to reconsider its narrow passage of a bill that would legalize assisted suicide in the "Live Free or Die" state.Last week, New Hampshire state representatives passed HB 1273 by a margin of just three votes, 179-176. Twenty-four representatives abstained during the vote. However, the bill has not been advanced to the New Hampshire Senate, as one member of the slim majority, Rep. Mike Ouellet, filed a motion to reconsider. The Republican politician had initially voted in favor of the proposed law. However, the following day, Ouellet revealed that he wanted to change his vote due to his faith."I've been a practicing Catholic my whole life," the lawmaker told the New Hampshire Center for Public Interest Journalism. The Republican politician felt "torn because the bill w...
Adoration. / Thoom / Shutterstock.CNA Staff, Mar 28, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Did you know that it is possible to sing a special song of adoration on Holy Thursday and have your soul purified?It's true, and the song is "Tantum Ergo."First, some background...A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove all temporal punishment due to sin.What does this mean?"An indulgence does not confer grace. An indulgence is not a remission of the guilt due to sin. The guilt due to sin is ordinarily taken away by the sacraments of baptism and penance (confession), in which we receive forgiveness for sins through Jesus Christ," the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) explains in this helpful Q&A."Although guilt is taken away, and with it the eternal penalty that is due to sin, namely, damnation, the eternal loss of the presence of God, there remain consequences for sins that those who have committed them ...
Asian elephant. / Credit: Filiz Elaerts / Unsplash (CC0)CNA Newsroom, Mar 27, 2024 / 13:00 pm (CNA).Despite repeated protests from Catholic bishops, wildlife attacks continue to pose a severe threat to the lives and properties of both Catholics and other residents in the Southern Indian state of Kerala. On Wednesday, local media reported significant damage from two elephants in Kerala's Idukki district, alongside a tiger's attack on livestock. This year alone, elephant attacks have resulted in 27 fatalities in the region. Video footage of a Catholic man trampled to death on Feb. 10 made headlines and sparked protests, only to be followed by news of a potential mauling by a tiger of a Catholic woman on her way to Mass four days after the fatal attack. Further fatal elephant tramplings followed the incident.The Catholic Church in Kerala has been leading the charge in urging the government to take decisive action to protect human lives. "The series of shocking ...