Bishop’s death saddens Pope

THE Pope yesterday said he was “deeply saddened” by the killing of a Catholic bishop in Turkey, but added it was not political and would not cloud his pilgrimage to Cyprus.

He said en route to the island that “this has nothing to do with the themes and realities of this trip.”

The Pope began a sensitive, three-day visit to Cyprus just a day after the killing in Turkey of Bishop Luigi Padovese, who had been scheduled to meet him.