Italy remembers quake victims on Good Friday

A special mass was held on Good Friday for the around 200 people who died in the earthquake which hit the city of L’Aquila on Monday.

Relatives for the victims arrived early in the morning to pray and put flowers on coffins which were lined out in four files of fifty.

Piero Fari, who came to see the coffins of his friend Paola Pugliesi, 65, and her son Giuseppe, 45, said, “There is a lot of sadness today, but also a lot of anger,” reports The Daily Mail.

The service was attended by 10,000 people in the city and was led by the second highest priest of the Vatican, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The mass had to be held outside as none of the churches in the region were considered stable enough for the event.

Usually Roman Catholics do not celebrate Mass on Good Friday, as it is the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. However, Pope Benedict XVI granted special dispensation for today's event.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said: “Today will be a moment of great emotion. How can one not be moved by so much pain?

“These are our dead today, they are the dead of the whole nation,” he said.

Flags in Rome were flown at half mast and many shops were closed for the funeral.

So far, 289 people have been confirmed as killed by the earthquake, although the figure is expected to rise as rescuers search the debris.

Peppo Biscarini, of Greater Europe Mission, said his organisation was trying to find ways to help.

“The situation is pretty chaotic there. I'm trying to work with the National Evangelistic Alliance to see what we can set up in an organized fashion," he said.

"We have had over 1,000 aftershocks since the big one on Sunday, so it's not over yet. People are somewhat nervous and open to a discussion on faith."

Biscarini said that this Holy Week, with the earthquake, people had been faced with their own mortality and were looking for answers to life’s questions.

He said, "We run a specific Bible study for the 'influencers', and a particular Countess has been invited by some peers. She always respectfully declined participation, but because of what has happened, she was actually eager to come and attend."