By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, June 27, 2026: The head of India’s Latin Catholic bishops’ conference has expressed sorrow and solidarity with Venezuela after a devastating earthquake, Catholic Connect reported.
“CCBI Stands with Venezuela in Prayer,” said His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), in a message following the June 24, 2026 disaster.
In a letter to Archbishop Jesús Andoni González de Zárate Salas, president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Ferrão conveyed condolences on behalf of India’s Latin Catholic bishops to those affected by the quake.
He lamented the loss of lives, injuries and widespread destruction, while assuring Venezuelans of the “prayers and spiritual closeness” of the Church in India, according to Catholic Connect.
The scale of the disaster has been severe. “The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, hit a minute apart on June 24 night, and the second was the strongest to hit Venezuela since 1900,” the BBC reported.
As well as the rising death toll – now at 920 people – 383 buildings have been damaged, including 13 hospitals and 25 shopping centres, BBC said.
At least 1,000 other infrastructure sites have sustained damage and 243 people have been rescued from La Guaira, one of the areas worst affected by the earthquakes.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, said the death toll was 589, with 2,980 injured.
Cardinal Ferrão also prayed for rescue personnel, relief workers and volunteers involved in emergency response and rehabilitation, asking for strength and protection in their service.
He invoked Christ as the Divine Healer, praying for comfort for grieving families, healing for the injured and courage for those who lost homes and livelihoods.
The cardinal further expressed hope for the restoration of lives and rebuilding of communities in the aftermath of the disaster.
He requested that the condolences and support of India’s Catholic bishops be shared with all victims.
Entrusting the nation to Our Lady of Coromoto, Venezuela’s patroness, Cardinal Ferrão prayed that she may intercede for strength, peace and consolation for the people during the crisis, Catholic Connect reported.
(Representational photo by Voice of America via Picryl.com)