In general, Spanish funerals are conducted within 3 days of a death, but this was a special Catholic mass held more than two weeks after the deaths to pay homage to the memory of the deceased, in addition to the official days of mourning that were observed immediately after the fire.
In the early hours of Sunday October 1, two nightclubs in Murcia city caught fire, killing 13 and injuring several more. The tragedy was lamented across Spain and around all of Europe, and was the deadliest nightclub fire in Spain in more than 30 years.
At the service this week, the Bishop of the Diocese of Cartagena, José Manuel Lorca Planes, officiated the Eucharist in front of more than 300 people.
“Allow me to tell you that God is still here, that he is with you, even in silence, in consolation and in strength of spirit, because with his grace he will awaken you to hope,” he said.
He paid tribute to the deceased, whose names he cited: John Douglas, Tania Angélica, Sergio Enrique, Erick Salomón, Martha Alejandra, Olga Lucrecia, Orfilia del Carmen, Rafael José, Josi Esteban, Rosa María, Leidy Paola, Jorge Enrique and Kevin Alejandro.
In attendance at the service was Fernando López Miras, President of the Region of Murcia, as well as the Spanish Government’s Minister of Territorial Policy and spokesperson, Isabel Rodríguez, and the leader of the PP opposition party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, along with the Mayor of Murcia City Council, José Ballesta.
During the mass, the bishop addressed the families of the victims: “Dear families, in this moment of remembrance and pain for the premature and tragic death of your loved ones, before our Father God we express to all of us who are here today in this Cathedral that we carry you in our hearts, as well as all the men and women of this Region of Murcia, because we feel part of your families.”
He continued: “We entrust ourselves to the Virgin Mary, who knows about pain, silences, contained complaints and love, that love that takes away loneliness because it is consolation and closeness.”
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