Russian archbishop asks for prayers after Moscow attack

Archbishop Pavel Pezzi has called on Russians to pray for the victims of the attacks on Friday evening that killed over 130 people. 

In a message, the archbishop requested prayer “for the salvation of all whose lives are still in danger, for peace for the dead, for help and healing for the injured, and for courage and patience for all who are called to help them.”

At least 133 people died during the attack at a concert hall in Krasnogorsk, a Russian city. 

The perpetrators, clad in combat fatigues, opened fire with automatic rifles as the audience was about to witness a performance by Picnic, a Soviet-era rock band.

The Islamic State of Khorasan, an affiliate of ISIL, claimed responsibility for the attack. 

Russian authorities have detained more than 10 people linked to the assault in the concert hall. More than 100 individuals were injured. 

Days before the attack, the US embassy in Moscow issued a security alert after intelligence reports that extremists were going to attack gatherings in Moscow. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack a "barbaric terrorist act" in a televised address on Saturday. 

Putin promised to punish the attackers.

In 2017, a bomb also killed 15 people in St. Petersburg, a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea. The attack was associated with Islamic extremists. 

Archbishop Pezzi offered his “deepest condolences” to the victims and relatives of the assault. 

“Please don’t despair and be that loving presence of Christ where you are; be a witness of hope in these dark times," he said. "I also ask you to exercise due care and discretion for your personal and public safety."- Oliver Samson