Spanish Dioceses Launch Prayer Chain for Crash Victims
A pastor gave general absolution at the crash site; Toledo’s archbishop wept with residents as parishes and Caritas opened shelters for families.
On Thursday, October 29, dioceses across Spain—including Madrid, Ávila, Vitoria, Cáceres, Segovia, and Getafe—joined a shared appeal launching a chain of prayer for the victims of the high-speed train collision in Urda, in the province of Toledo. The crash on October 28 killed at least 68 people.
In a joint message, the dioceses wrote: “Faced with the painful news of the train accident that occurred in Urda (Toledo), we Spanish dioceses unite in communion to lift our prayers to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, the prompt recovery of the wounded, and the consolation of their loved ones.”
One accompanying prayer asked: “Help all those affected and give them your consolation. May they already be in your presence, Lord. Amen.”
Absolution Amid the Wreckage
Father Fernando Fernández de Bobadilla, the pastor of Los Yébenes, reached the crash site before rescue teams and granted collective absolution to the wounded and the dying. He acted under canon 961 of the Code of Canon Law, which allows a priest to impart general absolution when danger of death is imminent and individual confessions cannot be heard in time.
Archbishop Francisco Cerro of Toledo traveled to Urda, where he described the scene as dantesque and wept with residents mourning their dead and injured. The local Church moved quickly to stand with the bereaved in the hours after the disaster.
Parishes, Caritas, and a Place for Families
The Archdiocese of Toledo opened parishes in Urda, Los Yébenes, and Consuegra to receive families and placed Caritas at their service. The diocese also lent its retreat house The Good Shepherd to the Guardia Civil, which is using the retreat house as a center for relatives and for the identification of the dead.
On Thursday evening at 6 p.m., the parish of Urda was set to expose the Blessed Sacrament before the image of the Most Holy Christ of Urda, gathering the faithful in adoration and intercession for those killed, those still fighting for life, and all who grieve.
The chain of prayer links communities far from the crash site with the stricken communities of La Mancha, entrusting the victims to God’s mercy while concrete help—parishes open, Caritas on hand, and a house of prayer turned over to families—meets immediate needs on the ground.