Pope's intercession on behalf of Indonesian Catholics successful!

First Sodano sent a note on behalf of Pope Benedict:

Vatican City, Aug. 11, 2006 (CNA) - Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State of the Holy See, has penned a letter in the name of Pope Benedict XVI, requesting clemency for three Catholics scheduled to be executed today.

In a letter made public today, Sodano requested from Susilo Ydhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia, a stay of execution for Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva, and Marinus Riwu. The three were sentenced to death in 2001, after being found guilty of leading a Christian mob in an attack which killed more than 200 people at an Islamic boarding school during Muslim-Christian clashes in Central Sulawesi's Poso region.

Sodano wrote, “In the name of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI I turn to you again, Your Excellency, to seek your intervention on humanitarian grounds, and in light of the particularity of the case, in order that an act of clemency might be granted to these three Catholic citizens of your nation.” [More...]

Then the Indonesian government responded:

Aug. 11 (CWNews.com) - The Indonesian government has announced a stay of execution for 3 Christians who were scheduled to face a firing squad on August 12, the AsiaNews service has reported. The reprieve for the condemned men is said to be for at least one week.

Pope Benedict XVI had sent a last-minute appeal to Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, asking for a "an act of clemency" to stop the scheduled execution of three Christian men sentenced in connection with the religious violence that swept the eastern Sulawesi region in 1999-2001.

The Pope's appeal-- contained in a telegram from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican Secretary of State-- cited both "humanitarian grounds" and "the particularity of the case." The message also reminds the Indonesian leader of the Vatican's consistent opposition to the use of capital punishment. [More...]

Both links provide more background information on this situation. Here's a tidbit:

The government of Indonesia-- the world's most populous Muslim nation, with 85% of the people embracing Islam-- had been under pressure from militant Islamic groups to proceed with the execution, especially in light of the pending execution of terrorists convicted of the Bali bombing. A week-long reprieve for the Christian men would still leave open the possibility that they could be put to death before the scheduled execution of the Bali bombers on August 22.

Christians in Indonesia have welcomed the government's decision to postpone the executions, but continue to organize prayer vigils and public demonstrations asking for a new, fair trial for the 3 men.