POPE AND QUEEN SENDS THEIR CONDOLENCES

POPE Benedict XVI, Queen Elizabeth 11, Russia
and Canada have condoled with Nigeria and the
families of the DANA Air crash victims. The Pope, in a condolence
message sent to the
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, through the Papal
Nunciature in Abuja and signed by the Secretary
of State in the Vatican Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone,
prayed for the repose of the souls of those who
died in the crash. The message read in part `His Holiness Pope
Benedict XVI was saddened to learn of the tragic
air accident in Lagos and he sends his sincere
condolences to the people of Nigeria, especially to
the relatives and friends of the victims." The Pope further
commiserated with the Minister
of State in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Professor Viola Onwuliri, over the death of her
husband, Professor Celestine Onwuliri who was
also the president of Supreme Subordinate
Commandery of the Knights of St John International. The 86-year old
English monarch, who took time
off her diamond jubilee celebrations to personally
write to President Goodluck Jonathan, said: "I
was shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic
aeroplane crash in Lagos on June 3. My thoughts
and prayers are with the family and friends of the bereaved and the
Nigerian people, who have
suffered from this devastating loss of life. I send
my deepest condolences to all those who have
lost relatives or have been injured."







Source: Guardian