Pope prays for the Russian plane crash victims
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Pope Francis has led thousands of faithful in silent prayer for the victims of the Russian military plane crash.
Speaking to thousands of people who gathered Monday in St. Peter's Square to celebrate the feast day of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, Francis expressed his "strong condolences" to the Russian people and to those who lost loved ones in the crash.
He noted that among the dead were members of the Russian army chorus, which he said performed in 2004 at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II.
Francis also asked for prayers for the hundreds of emergency workers helping to search for the plane wreckage and victims in the Black Sea.
