In the wake of this week’s series of events in Boston, people of faith around the world have been offering prayers for victims of the bombing and for the entire city. President Obama spoke at an interfaith service Thursday at Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross:

President Barack Obama: “You showed us, Boston, that in the face of evil Americans will lift up what’s good. In the face of cruelty, we will choose compassion.”

Watch our report on religious responses to the bombing and listen to our conversation by phone with Reverend Sam Lloyd, the priest-in-charge at Trinity Episcopal Church, which is in Copley Square and located very near the site of the bombing.

Faith groups also offered prayers this week for victims of the massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas. Many people were killed and more than 150 wounded. Close to a hundred houses in the area were destroyed by the blast.