Archbishop leads Mass for earthquake victims

Archbishop of Caracas, Monseñor Raúl Biord, celebrated a Mass at the Iglesia Chiquinquirá to pray for the eternal rest of victims from earthquakes that shook Venezuela one month ago. During the homily, Biord explained the purpose of the service: “Today we will celebrate Mass for the eternal rest of the deceased… we offer God these deceased, but we also offer God the work, the hope, the comfort of so many volunteers,” he stated.

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Today we will celebrate Mass for the eternal rest of the deceased… we offer God these deceased, but we also offer God the work, the hope, the comfort of so many volunteers.

The archbishop connected the memory of the deceased with the efforts of those who have supported affected communities since June 24. He called for sustained and enhanced aid, requesting better organization to provide responses through parish Caritas and social pastoral care, offering supplies and companionship to victims. Biord stressed the urgency, noting that “now is when volunteers are needed to accompany our people.”

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now is when volunteers are needed to accompany our people.

Monseñor Biord insisted that human accompaniment holds as much value as material aid. “Sometimes we can give money or food, but the most important thing is to give some of our time. Share a few hours a day or one day a week to accompany our people,” he said, reiterating that “now is when volunteers are most needed.” He added, “God is in the victims, but also in those who go out to accompany those who suffer.”

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Sometimes we can give money or food, but the most important thing is to give some of our time. Share a few hours a day or one day a week to accompany our people.

The Mass coincided with a month of uncertainty regarding the exact number of victims. Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, reported 5,398 national deaths as of Wednesday night, though the government has not released city or state-specific figures. La Guaira, the hardest-hit region, has recorded at least 4,387 deaths, according to its governor, who acknowledged that search efforts continue. The Greater Caracas area has the second-highest number of victims, with 69 deaths in Libertador municipality, 68 in Chacao, and three in Baruta. Other states like Aragua, Carabobo, and Falcón have reported additional fatalities from collapsed buildings. The government also stated that 856 buildings were affected, with 190 collapsing. A month after the earthquakes, there is still no official figure for the missing.

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God is in the victims, but also in those who go out to accompany those who suffer.