Pope Leo XIV on Saturday offered heartfelt prayers for Pascale Rafic, a Jubilee of Youth pilgrim from Egypt who died in Rome.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the pope privately met with the group of pilgrims travelling with Rafic at the Vatican on Saturday morning to give spiritual comfort to the young people left shaken by the tragic event.
The Italian religious news service Agensir reported Aug. 2 the young woman died from cardiac arrest.
Prior to his meeting with the pilgrim group, Pope Leo contacted Greek Melkite religious leader Bishop Jean-Marie Chami of the Patriarchate of Antioch to express his spiritual closeness with Rafic’s family and her community.
“The Holy Father assures all of his heartfelt prayers and invokes the Lord’s comfort and consolation upon Pascale’s family members, friends and all of those who grieve her loss,” the Vatican statement read.
Bishop Stefano Russo of Velletri-Segni expressed his condolences to Rafic’s family on behalf of the diocesan community who hosted Rafic in the town of Artena during her jubilee pilgrimage.
“A guest in our diocese, along with her group, on their way to Rome, Pascale left us in Christian hope, embraced by the Father’s mercy,” he said. “We are convinced of this, having accompanied her on the final leg of her earthly journey.”
“We pray for Pascale, her family, and her friends,” he said.
