Pope Francis prays for victims of Nepal earthquake

Pope Francis greeted crowds of visitors in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sunday and asked for prayers for the victims of a devastating earthquake in Nepal. Speaking after the traditional Regina Caeli prayer, Francis addressed the crowds from the window of the papal apartment overlooking the square. 'Dear Brothers and Sisters, I want to assure you of my closeness to the people affected by the devastating earthquake in Nepal and neighbouring countries. I pray for the victims, or the wounded and for all those who have suffered because of this disaster,' he said. Earlier on Sunday, Pope Francis led the rite to ordain 19 new priests in St. Peter's Basilica. Rescuers dug with their bare hands and bodies piled up in Nepal on Sunday after Saturday's quake devastated the heavily crowded Kathmandu Valley, killing more than 2,200 people, and triggered a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest. A big aftershock between Kathmandu and Everest unleashed more avalanches in the Himalayas. The tremor, measured at 6.7, was the most powerful since Saturday's 7.9 quake - itself the strongest since Nepal's worst earthquake disaster of 1934 that killed 8,500 people. The aftershock rocked buildings in the Indian capital New Delhi and halted the city metro.

Pope Francis prays for victims of Nepal earthquake

Pope Francis prays for victims of the Nepalese earthquake, after a ceremony to ordain new priests.

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Pope Francis prays for victims of Nepal earthquake

Pope Francis prays for victims of the Nepalese earthquake, after a ceremony to ordain new priests.

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