Pope Francis to visit Italy earthquake region
Pope Francis has said he plans to visit an area in Italy struck by a deadly earthquake to bring the people there the "comfort of faith".
Francis led prayers on Sunday for the inhabitants of an area struck by Wednesday's powerful earthquake that killed at least 291 people in Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto.
Italy's central Apennine mountains are a seismically-active region that has suffered other earthquake tragedies in the past.
Francis told that crowd at his weekly Sunday address at St. Peter's Square: "Again, I tell those dear populations that the church shares their suffering."
He said he plans to visit as soon as possible but did not specify a date.
