With a message sent by the Apostolic Nuncio in Chile, Pope Leo XIV was present at the time of pain that Chilean society is going through the death of six workers in the El Teniente mine.
In a Mass chaired by the Archbishop of La Serena and President of the Episcopal Conference of Chile, Mons. René Rebolledo Salinas, the local community gave its last goodbye to the miner Carlos Andrés Arancibia Valenzuela, one of the six deceased in the underground collapse in a sector of the largest copper mine in Latin America.
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The President of the Nation, Gabriel Boric; Authorities and numerous faithful of the community, to whom the prelate thanked the proximity, union and prayer with deceased miners and their families.
Mons. Rebolledo Salinas began his homily Reading the message of the Apostolic Nuncio in Chile, Mons. Kurian Mathew Vayalunkal, who sent the condolences of Pope Leo XIV.
“With deep pain, the Chilean people have received the news of the tragic death of six workers in the ‘El Teniente’ mine, in Rancagua. In these moments of intense suffering, I want to send them, in the name of the Holy Father, the spiritual closeness, the prayer and the most felt condemole,” said the papal envoy in his message.
“To you, dear families who have lost your loved ones in fulfilling their daily work, I express a word of Christian comfort and hope,” he added.
“That the Lord, in his infinite mercy, gives the eternal rest to these our brothers, and give strength to all those who today cry their departure,” said Mons. Vayalunkal, while encouraging the bishops and the entire local community to “accompany with pastoral tenderness and solidarity presence to those who are living this painful loss.”
“The testimony of a nearby, prayer and compassionate church is, at the moment, a reflection of the love of Christ for his people,” he said.
The Archbishop of La Serena continued his homily emphasizing the hope in the resurrection and recalled that together with the Lord “there will always be abundant life.”
Finally, he reiterated the closeness of the Church in La Serena to the mother of Carlos Arancibia, to his family, and his friends – special miners – visibly affected by the painful departure.
In addition, he called to keep in mind the miners and their families next Sunday, August 10, San Lorenzo Day, when they remember those who exercise their service in mining.
Julieta Villar
I am a journalist, a graduate in Communication from the National University of La Matanza in Argentina. I have work experience in non -governmental organizations. Since 2016 I dedicate myself to Catholic journalism, first in the Argentine Catholic Information Agency (AICA) and, since 2022, as a correspondent for ACI Press for Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Bolivia.