Scottish Catholic Observer

Speaking in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, the Pope said the ‘terror attack yesterday in Paris brings to mind so much cruelty—human cruelty—so much terrorism, both isolated [incidents of] terrorism and of state terrorism. Of how much cruelty is man capable!’

“We pray, in this Mass, for the victims of this cruelty—so many of them—and we pray also for the perpetrators of such cruelty, that the Lord might change their heart,” he added.

The Pope yesterday condemned as ‘abominable’ the attack that killed 12 people at the Paris offices of a weekly satirical magazine known for lampooning Islam, calling on everyone to stop the spread of hate.

“The Holy Father expresses his firmest condemnation of the horrible attack,” Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said in statement.

The Pope calls on ‘calls on everyone to oppose every method of spreading hate’ because it ‘radically undermines the fundamental good of peaceful coexistence of people despite national, religious and cultural differences’ Fr Lombardi said.

“Whatever its motivation might be, homicidal violence is abominable (and) is never justified” he concluded.

Last night tens of thousands took to Europe’s streets with placards and candles to show solidarity with the victims. Vigils were held in most European cities, including Rome, as well as Tunis, Lima, Rio de Janeiro and Madagascar.

French police have made seven arrests as they hunt for two named suspects, the brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, said to be ‘armed and dangerous.’