Scottish Catholic Observer

BISHOP Peter Moran of Aberdeen Diocese has asked for people of all religions to pray for the tragic Riggi family following the deaths of the family’s three children in Edinburgh last week.

The bodies of twins Augustino and Gianluca, aged 8, and their five-year-old sister Cecilia were discovered last Wednesday afternoon after reports of a gas explosion at their home.

The children’s mother Theresa Riggi, who is currently in hospital having fallen from the balcony of the property, has since been charged with their murder.

Mrs Riggi had moved to Edinburgh with her children from Aberdeenshire in July, with the children’s father, Pasquale Riggi, remaining in Aberdeen.

Prayers said

The family were part of the congregation of Aberdeen’s St Mary’s Cathedral and Bishop Moran said that prayers were being said for the family.

“I would like to think that many people, even those outside the Catholic Church, will be praying for the family,” he said. “We were very distressed to hear about this.”

Fr Juniper Adams OFM, assistant priest at the cathedral, also paid tribute to the Riggi family.

“It is just heartbreaking,” Fr Adams said. “I didn’t know them very well, but I did know them.

“They came into the church and I would chat to the husband. They always seemed a lovely family when they came in. It is tragic. The children were lovely.”

Sad loss

Evelyn Murray, bell ringer at the cathedral added that bells had been tolled at the church for the tragic family.

“St Mary’s bell ringers tolled the bell for five minutes for the Riggi family and we also held private prayers in the bell tower,” Ms Murray said. “The two young boys were confirmed in St Mary’s Cathedral at Easter. It is very, very sad.”

Lothian and Borders Police said post-mortem examinations have been carried out and a report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal.

The results have not been released, but it is understood that the children did not die as a result of the explosion or a small fire in the flat.

Pasquale Riggi last week said the deaths of his three ‘beautiful’ children was an ‘immense and tragic loss.’

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