The Bishop of Almería, Mons. Antonio Gómez Cantero, has expressed his sorrow over the fire that has claimed the lives of at least twelve people in the province and has asked the faithful to pray for the victims, their families, and those involved in the relief efforts.
Through a message issued by the diocese, the prelate conveyed his closeness to the families who have lost loved ones and to the residents of Bédar and Los Gallardos, the localities most affected by the tragedy.
“There are no words that can ease such immense pain. Only silence, prayer, and closeness remain,” the bishop states, also remembering the injured and those still awaiting news of missing relatives.
A call to prayer
Mons. Gómez Cantero has asked all parishes, religious communities, and faithful of the diocese to lift up their prayers for the victims and for those working tirelessly in the emergency response.
“I ask all Christian communities in our diocese to pray for the victims, their families, and those working without rest in the tasks of relief and care,” he says.
“Faith sustains us so we do not lose hope”
In his message, the bishop also reflects on the meaning of faith in the face of a tragedy of this magnitude. He acknowledges that the suffering caused by sudden loss does not disappear, but he emphasizes that Christian hope accompanies those going through these moments.
“When death strikes so cruelly, faith does not take away tears and pain, but it sustains us so we do not lose hope. We believe that God does not remain distant from human suffering, but embraces it and walks with us in the darkest nights,” he writes.
The message concludes with an invocation to the Virgin Mary: “May Saint Mary, Mother of Consolation, sustain us in the face of tragedy and pain and help us all to be instruments of closeness, help, and hope.”