Salvatore Pennacchio

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 29: Vatican representative Salvatore Pennacchio today called upon people to work united towards creating a society based on peace and harmony.

He concluded his two-day visit to Kandhamal district, five years after it was ravaged by one of the worst communal riots in the history of the state.

“We all should work together to ensure greater fraternity and brotherhood in society leaving all ill-feelings,” said Pennacchio, the Apostolic Nuncio, or diplomatic representative of the Pope to India.

Pennacchio addressed a gathering at Raikia, which had suffered the most in the riots, urging people from all walks of life to work jointly to ensure peace. A message from Pope Francis was also read out at the event organised at a restored Roman Catholic Church damaged in riots. The church at Raikia has been restored at a cost of Rs 18 lakh.

Sources said the church was damaged during riots in December 2007, about eight months before large-scale violence rocked the communally sensitive district following the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and his four disciples at his Jalaspeta shram in August 2008.

More than 30 people were killed in the communal violence in Kandhamal while thousands were left homeless. The rioting mobs also torched scores of places of worship across the district. Last month, a court in Kandhamal awarded life term to eight persons, including a prominent Maoist leader, for the murder of Saraswati and his followers.

Sources said 24 bishops and archbishops from across the country took part at the Raikia event. The participants included John Barwa, Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Archbishops of Delhi, Balasore and former Archbishop Raphael Cheenath.

Security throughout the district was tight during Pennacchio's visit to the sensitive and tribal-dominated district.