Pope seeks to console families of young Italian victims of New Year's Swiss Alps bar fire

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ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV sought Thursday to console the families of Italian teenagers who were killed or injured in the Swiss bar fire at a New Year's party, acknowledging their anguish and urging them to try to find hope in “the darkest and most painful moments” of their lives.

Leo met with around two dozen relatives of the Italian victims, deviating from his prepared speech to tell them that he had immediately agreed to meet with them after learning of their desire to have an audience.

“I wanted at least to have the opportunity to share a moment that for you, amid so much pain and suffering, is truly a test of our faith, a test of what we believe,” he told them.

The families later were meeting with Italian government officials, who have demanded justice and a full accounting of the horrific New Year’s fire at the Alpine resort that killed 40 people, most of them youngsters, and injured another 116.

Six of the dead and 13 of the injured were Italian citizens, and their plight has been followed closely by ordinary Italians and government officials alike. Leo, history’s first American pope, added his voice on Thursday to those who are trying to make sense of the loss.

Leo acknowledged his words were “limited and powerless” to ease the parents' pain, but he urged them to rely on their faith to find hope going forward.

“The faith that dwells in us illuminates the darkest and most painful moments of our lives with an irreplaceable light, helping us to continue courageously on our journey toward our goal,” he said.

The fire in the Le Constellation bar in the southwest Crans-Montana resort is believed to have been ignited by sparkling candles that came too close to the ceiling, which was fitted with soundproofing material.

In the Swiss criminal investigation, the bar owners are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire. French and Italian prosecutors have also opened investigations.

Authorities are looking into whether the soundproofing material conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Fire safety inspections hadn’t been carried out since 2019.

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani briefed lawmakers on the investigation, calling the disaster an “open wound” for the entire country.

He said the Italian government was planning to join the Swiss investigation as an injured party, demanding “full clarity” over what he said was “negligent behavior that is obvious to the eyes of everyone.”

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