A powerful appeal to "those who are responsible for the fate of mankind", for them to invest "all energies to serve peace, to respect the needs of man and nature". It was made today by the Pope, who, at the end of the greetings that close the general audience, recalled the twentieth anniversary of the nuclear disaster of Chernobyl. "Just today said Benedict XVI is the twentieth anniversary of the tragic accident that occurred in the nuclear power plant of Chernobyl. On this occasion, I feel bound to express my deep appreciation for the families, the associations, the civil authorities and the Christian communities that over these years have spared no efforts to house and treat adults and mostly children, affected by the consequences of that painful event". "Whilst once again continued the Pope we pray for the victims of such a wide-ranging calamity and for those who bear its signs on their bodies, let’s invoke the Lord’s light for those who are responsible for the fate of mankind, so that with a joint effort all energies may be invested to serve peace and respect the needs of man and nature".
