Pope Francis said a prayer and he also condoled with the victims of suicide bombers attacking churches in Indonesia last Sunday, May 13.
There are at least 13 people died while 41 were injured in the bombing attack. Authorities said that the Islamic State-inspired group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah launched the attacks in three churches in the eastern port city.
"I'm particularly close to the dear people of Indonesia, especially to the Christian community of the city of Surabaya strongly hit by the grave attacks on places of worship," Pope Francis said.
"I elevate my prayer for the victims and their relatives. Together we invoke the God of peace so that he makes these violent actions cease," the pontiff continued.
The Christian Church of Diponegoro, Santa Marian Roman Catholic Church and Pantekosta Church were struck and destroyed during the attack. Police chief Tito Karnavian revealed that a father of a family led the attack using a car bomb in one of the churches, while his sons, aged 16 and 18, rode their motorcycles to the other churches.
The mother also reportedly participated in the attack, alongside their daughters aged 9 and 12. Witnesses revealed that they saw a woman carrying two bags who forced her way inside the Diponegoro church when police tried to block her.
"This is the act of cowards, indignified and barbaric," Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on national TV after the attacks, adding that he will look into enforcing new anti-terrorism regulations if parliament fails to pass a bill in the next month.
Indonesia has over 30 million Christians, but Muslims dominate the country's population with over 260 million, as per report.
