President Nelson Sends Message of Comfort to Pope Francis after Notre Dame Fire
Contributed By Danielle Christensen, Church News staff writer
A side view of Notre Dame Cathedral in April 2017. Photo by Scott Taylor, Church News.
On Monday, April 15, President Russell M. Nelson offered words of comfort to Pope Francis after the devastating Notre Dame Cathedral fire.
According to Newsroom, President Nelson expressed in a letter his “profound sadness at the damage done to this sacred structure that has stood for more than 800 years.” He also told the Bishop of Rome that his thoughts “immediately” went to him and friends of the Catholic faith, and that he prays “Notre Dame will rise again in newness of life,” Newsroom reported.
On April 18, President Nelson’s Twitter account posted about the Church leader’s letter of sympathy addressed to the pope: “Upon learning of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, I wrote @Pontifex Pope Francis to express that Latter-day Saints are remembering our Catholic brothers and sisters. We pray that Notre Dame will rise again in newness of life.”
Prior to dedicating the Rome Italy Temple, President Nelson and President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, met with Pope Francis on March 9. It was the first time a Latter-day Saint leader has had a formal audience with the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
Other Church leaders including the Church’s Europe Area Presidency—Elder Paul V. Johnson, Elder Gary B. Sabin, and Elder Massimo De Feo—also expressed their sympathies to Michel Aupetit, archbishop of Paris. According to Newsroom, they stated their desire to the French people and the Christian world that Notre Dame will be restored as a symbol of faith.
President Ballard and Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, also expressed their deep sadness regarding the Notre Dame fire to Bishop Solis.
A view of the rose window in the west facade of Notre Dame Cathedral on May 18, 2017. Photo by Valerie Johnson, Church News.
