ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV sought Thursday to console the families of Italian teenagers who were killed or injured in the Swiss bar fire at a New Year's party, acknowledging their anguish and urging them to try to find hope in “the darkest and most painful moments” of their lives.
Leo met with around two dozen relatives of the Italian victims, deviating from his prepared speech to tell them that he had immediately agreed to meet with them after learning of their desire to have an audience.
“I wanted at least to have the opportunity to share a moment that for you, amid so much pain and suffering, is truly a test of our faith, a test of what we believe,” he told them.
The families later were meeting with Italian government officials, who have demanded justice and a full accounting of the horrific New Year’s fire at the Alpine resort that killed 40 people, most of them youngsters, and injured another 116.
Six of the dead and 13 of the injured were Italian citizens, and their plight has been followed closely by ordinary Italians and government officials alike. Leo, history’s first American pope, added his voice on Thursday to those who are trying to make sense of the loss.
Leo acknowledged his words were “limited and powerless” to ease the parents' pain, but he urged them to rely on their faith to find hope going forward.
“The faith that dwells in us illuminates the darkest and most painful moments of our lives with an irreplaceable light, helping us to continue courageously on our journey toward our goal,” he said.
The fire in the Le Constellation bar in the southwest Crans-Montana resort is believed to have been ignited by sparkling candles that came too close to the ceiling, which was fitted with soundproofing material.
In the Swiss criminal investigation, the bar owners are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire. French and Italian prosecutors have also opened investigations.
Authorities are looking into whether the soundproofing material conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Fire safety inspections hadn’t been carried out since 2019.
Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani briefed lawmakers on the investigation, calling the disaster an “open wound” for the entire country.
He said the Italian government was planning to join the Swiss investigation as an injured party, demanding “full clarity” over what he said was “negligent behavior that is obvious to the eyes of everyone.”
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
What the Constitution Means to Me Read moreWhat The Constitution Means To Me
Join us for community fun! Free antique and collectible appraisals by Clars Auction. Over 30… Read moreMillbrae Senior Showcase
cube_corner said:
cube_corner said:
Letters to the Editor like this give me total conviction that President Trump has (temporarily) saved the country from rule by lunatics.
cube_corner said:
Why is the San Mateo Daily journal posting a one sentence article about Greenland?
cube_corner said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.