Pope's top aide to visit quake-hit Peru

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, Aug 19 (Reuters) Pope Benedict will send his top aide, Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, to Peru to show his solidarity with the victims of this week's earthquake.

The Pontiff said today Bertone had long planned to visit the predominantly Catholic country and would ''in the next few days personally bring testimony of my feelings and the concrete help of the Holy See''.

The 8.0 magnitude quake killed more than 500 people and left thousands homeless.

REUTERS RKM BD1703