Two young female pilgrims have died during the Jubilee celebrations. Pope Leo XIV, speaking at Tor Vergata, requested prayers “for Maria, a Spanish girl, and Pascale, an Egyptian girl.” He also urged prayers “for their families” and “for a Spanish boy, Ignazio Goncalves, who has been hospitalized at Bambino Gesù Hospital.”
Pascale Rafic was traveling to Rome from Egypt to participate in the Youth Jubilee. Pope Leo XIV contacted Bishop Jean-Marie Chami, Titular Bishop of Tarsus and Auxiliary Bishop of the Greek-Melkite Patriarchal Church of Antioch for Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan, to convey “His spiritual closeness to the young woman’s family and the entire community.”
The 18-year-old Egyptian had arrived in Italy for the Youth Jubilee with the Egypt-South Sudan delegation and was staying with her group at the parish in Artena, a municipality near Rome. She died overnight from cardiac arrest while on a bus.
“The Holy Father, sharing in the sorrow of all affected by this tragic event, assures prayers for the deceased and invokes from the Lord comfort and consolation for the families, friends, and all who mourn their loss,” stated the Vatican press office.
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