"After six years in captivity Ingrid Betancourt, the French-Colombian hostage, was rescued by Colombian special forces. Her first action was to arrange to go to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris. In an interview earlier this month she spoke to Pèlerin magazine about her faith and how it saw her through her ordeal.

Mrs Betancourt's first gesture on being rescued was the sign of the cross. 'Why? Because without Him at my side I would never have managed to survive the pain,' she said."