Russian parish in Venice fundraises for victims of Aquila earthquake

The Russian Orthodox parish of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women in Venice fundraises for victims of the recent earthquake in Aquila. "On the day of God's visitation, when Italians faced the trial, our Orthodox duty is respond to grief of people who lost their relatives, houses, are deprived of hot food and warm cloths," the address is quoted as saying by the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church relations press service on Tuesday.

The parish accepts donations on its bank account or directly at the church during the Holy Week until Easter, April 19. Funds will be transferred to a charitable account of organizations involved in aid to victims on April 20.

The tragedy happened in Aquila, administrative center of Italian region Abruzzo, on April 6, 2009. According to preliminary data, the earthquake killed 289 including 16 children.

Source: Interfax religion