Just like the bible tale of sinners are forgiven at the arrival of the messiah, so did Sri Lanka acted. To mark Pope Francis' visit and proclamation of the country's first saint, almost 600 prisoners were released and reduced jail terms for others. Wow..! What a penance?
Reuters reports that Prison Commission General, Chandraratne Pallegama, said "We released 572 prisoners who were arrested for minor offences," adding that some were older than 75. The sentences of an unspecified number of other prisoners were reduced.
"All this was done one to mark the visit by His Holiness," he said
The former British colony usually releases prisoners arrested for minor offences on the island nation's independence day on February 4.
The pope earlier in the day held an outdoor Mass before more than half a million people to make Joseph Vaz, a 17th century missionary, the Indian Island nation's first saint.
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