Read Pope Francis Message to the French Alps Crash Victims Families
Pope Francis wants to give "strength and consolation" to the families of the victims of Tuesday's deadly Germanwings plane crash in the French Alps. "He expresses his deep sympathy for all those touched by this tragedy, as well as for the rescue workers working in difficult conditions," reads a Tuesday telegram from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. A memorial mass for all the victims was also held on Tuesday. A hundred and fifty people "including many children," the telegram notes, appear to have been killed when a Germanwings A320 Airbus crashed in a snowy region of the French Alps. More than a dozen passengers were German school children returning from an exchange-program trip in Spain. The full statement, via Vatican Radio, reads