Pope Francis in Spiritual Solidarity with Kenya’s “grieving families” Following Dormitory Inferno in Nyeri Archdiocese

Vatican, 08 September, 2024 / 10:51 PM

Pope Francis is spiritually united with the people of God in Kenya, who are grieving following the September 5 inferno at Hillside Academy Endarasha in the country’s Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri that resulted in the death of 21 boys dead and many more injuries and destruction.

In his Saturday, September 7 telegram addressed to the Local Ordinary of Nyeri, Archbishop Anthony Muheria, which the Vatican Secretary of State signed, Holy Father commends the souls of the pupils, who passed on to God’s “loving mercy”.

“His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to be informed of the loss of young life that occurred during a fire at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in the County of Nyeri,” the telegram that Pietro Cardinal Parolin signed reads in part.

The pupils were reportedly asleep during the night of September 5 when the inferno erupted. The death toll following the fire at the dormitory that housed Grade 5-8 pupils had risen to 21 by Sunday, September 8.

Bodies of 19 pupils were recovered from the scene while two more pupils reportedly succumbed to their injuries in hospital, Kenya’s government spokesman, Isaac Mwaura, has been quoted as saying about the tragedy at the dormitory that housed 156 boys, describing the incident at “a catastrophe beyond our imagination." 70 boys are yet to be accounted for.

In the September 7 telegram, Cardinal Parolin says that “His Holiness Pope Francis expresses his spiritual closeness to all who are suffering the effects of this calamity, especially the injured and the grieving families.”

The Holy Father commends “the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God and offers his prayers for the personnel and civil authorities who continue to provide assistance. Upon all, the Holy Father invokes the Lord’s blessings of strength, peace, and consolation.”

Pope Francis’ condolence telegram comes a day after Archbishop Muheria’s letter that called on the people of God in the Metropolitan See to offer prayers and comfort in favor of all those affected by the tragic inferno.

In his September 6 letter, the Kenyan Catholic Archbishop appealed for spiritual solidarity, saying, “I ask all our Christians to offer special prayers for those who have lost their lives and also for the families.”

“Nothing can ever console enough for the loss of one child, to a mother and father, and to any family,” he said in the one-page letter, adding, “We are also heartbroken, for the loss of these little ones.”

Kenya’s President, William Ruto, has declared three days of national mourning beginning Monday, September 9. During the period, flags of Kenya and the East African Community (EAC) shall be flown at half-mast at Kenya’s State House, all Kenyan diplomatic missions, as well public buildings and posts among other government establishments, President Ruto announced on September 6.