AFRICA/LIBYA-"The Holy Father expressed his closeness to the Church and the Libyan people, " says Mgr. Martinelli

Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - "The Holy Father expressed his need to tell me: 'Do not feel alone, the Church supports you especially through prayer'. The Pope was very fatherly and understood the suffering that both the Church in Libya and the Libyan people are living. The Holy Father has given us courage. We needed a word of comfort " said Archbishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli to Fides, who on Saturday, May 28 was received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI.
Mgr. Martinelli also met Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States in Rome, and said that on behalf of everyone " the prayer has been ensured, so that unity and ecclesial communion is expressed through it.” Mgr. Martinelli has recently returned to Tripoli, after " a calm journey, although long. There were no particular problems at the Checkpoints, " he told Fides.
On Tuesday, May 30, the South African President and African Union correspondent , Jacob Zuma, met the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. "We hope that there is some way out, even if we do not know what those are, " said Mgr.Martinelli. "There is goodwill, but the solutions are not easy. However, we hope that something new happens, "concludes the Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 31/05/2011)