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Pope Francis expressed his sadness and closeness to New Yorkers on January 10, 2022, in the wake of the fire that killed at least 19 people - including nine children - in the Bronx neighborhood.
In a telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and addressed to the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the pope offered his "sincere condolences" and assured all those affected by the tragedy of his "spiritual closeness."
The Argentine pontiff was particularly saddened that children lost their lives in the domestic disaster in a 19-story apartment building.
The head of the Catholic Church entrusted the victims and their families "to the merciful love of God" and invoked on all "consolation and strength in the Lord."
Some 63 people were also injured, half of them in serious condition, in the fire, which the new mayor of New York, Eric Adams, called "one of the worst" in the modern history of the megalopolis.
"It doesn't get worse than what we witnessed in New York yesterday at that tragic fire in the Bronx," said Cardinal Dolan in a statement on Facebook. Cardinal Dolan went on to thank FDNY and to explore ways that the Church can provide relief to those suffering.
