The Maltese Bishop of Garissa, Kenya, yesterday appealed for prayers for the families of the 148 people killed by gunmen last week and for the softening of the perpetrators’ hearts.

“There is still tension within the community, but we trust in God. The victims were people who came to Mass, joined us in retreats and were part of the community.

“We need to keep in mind their families, who have lost their loved ones at such a young age,” Bishop Paul Darmanin said just before a meeting with Archbishop Charles Scicluna at the Curia in Floriana.

Together with Garissa Cathedral co-adjudicating Bishop Joseph Alessandro, Mgr Darmanin is in Malta until tomorrow, when the two will head off for a week of meetings with Pope Francis in Rome.

There they will be joined by other bishops from Kenya for a meeting that is held every five years with the Pope to report on the state of their diocese.

Addressing the media before a private meeting with Mgr Scicluna, Mgr Alessandro said they were not here because they were fleeing from danger, because their obligation was to be with their flock in Kenya.

However, the conference had been planned a long time ago and it was also their duty to attend.

The Garissa diocese suffered an attack by Islamist militants al-Shabaab last week, which left 148 Christians dead. The attack took place at a university just up the road from where the two bishops live.

Yesterday both bishops said they appreciated the support of the Maltese Church. Mgr Alessandro said they had passed on Malta’s message of solidarity to the community on Easter Sunday, telling them they were not on their own.

Archbishop Scicluna reiterated Malta’s solidarity with the people of Kenya and pledged practical support should this be required.