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U.S. Cardinal At Vatican To Lead Prayer For George Floyd Friday

ROME (AP) — The highest-ranking American at the Vatican will lead a prayer service on Friday in Rome to pray for "peaceful coexistence" following the death of George Floyd and protests that erupted across the U.S.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-born naturalized U.S. citizen, is the prefect of the Vatican's family and laity office.

The Sant'Egidio Community, a Catholic charity close to Pope Francis, is organizing the evening prayer at its Santa Maria in Trastevere church. Francis this week decried Floyd's death and the "sin of racism" and denounced violence as "self-destructive and self-defeating." He's appealed for national reconciliation and peace.

Farrell was bishop in Dallas, Texas, and an auxiliary bishop of Washington D.C. before taking his current job in 2016.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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