The archbishop of L'Aquila, Msgr Giuseppe Molinari, has thanked Pope Benedict XVI for his announced intention to visit the region struck by Monday's devastating earthquake.
''It is with deep emotion that I thank the Holy Father for the visit he will pay to our city and the survivors of the earthquake. This is a great gift because it gives us the hope and strength to deal with the current situation, which is so dramatic, and to face such a difficult future,'' he said.
Speaking to the Italian bishops' news service SIR, the archbishop said he thought the pope would visit next week.
However, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardo said earlier that the visit would not take place before the Easter holidays and was unlikely to happen the week after.
