The pope enthusiastically welcomed tens of thousands of participants of the solemn mass, which took place earlier in the square.
Francis in the Easter message appealed to the hope that peace was possible. Let the light of peace radiate to the whole of the Holy Land and the whole world – he called in a message read in his presence by the Master of the ceremony from the balcony of the Basilica of St. Piotr. The Pope asked for a fair and lasting peace for Ukraine.
The Pope wrote in the message: “I would like us to eat again that peace is possible! Let the Lord's grave, from the Church of the Resurrection, where this year Easter is celebrated the same day by Catholics and Orthodox, the light of peace radiates all over the Holy Land and the whole world.”
Conflict in the Gaza Strip. The Pope appealed to the fighting pages
Francis assured: “I am close to the suffering Christians in Palestine and Israel, as well as the entire Israeli nation and the Palestinian nation.”
He expressed concern about the “exacerbating atmosphere of anti -Semitism, which is spreading all over the world.”
“At the same time, I direct my thoughts to the inhabitants, and in particular to the Christian community in the Gaza Strip, where a terrible conflict constantly gives birth to death and destruction and causes a dramatic and shameful humanitarian situation,” he added.
The Pope appealed to the fighting pages: “Let the arms suspension come, let the hostages be released and help people who are hungry and strive for a peaceful future.”
He also called: “Let the risen Christ pour out the Easter gift of peace on a tormented Ukraine and stimulate everyone involved to continue their efforts to achieve a fair and lasting peace.”
