Status: 04/17/2022 12:49 p.m
In front of thousands of believers in Rome, Pope Francis called for an end to the Ukraine war and reminded of crises worldwide. Peace is possible, a duty and the primary responsibility of everyone. Then he gave the Easter blessing.
Pope Francis celebrated Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square under a blue sky. After two years of a corona-related break, thousands of believers from all over the world took part in the service again. Unlike the Easter Vigil, Francis presided over the Mass himself.
A little restricted when walking, but visibly in a good mood, Francis greeted the faithful. Then he drove a few laps around St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile and waved to thousands of people.
Thousands of Catholics cheer the Pope in St. Peter’s Square. For the first time since Corona, so many people were allowed to take part in the Easter celebration.
Image: REUTERS
He called for the end of the Ukraine war and recalled crises and conflicts worldwide. Peace is possible, a duty and the primary responsibility of everyone, said the head of the church in his Easter message on the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Every war has an impact on all of humanity: from the deaths to the refugee drama to the economic and food crisis, the harbingers of which are already evident, Francis explained.
Easter celebrations in Rome were also marked by the Ukraine war
Anja Miller, ARD Rome, tagesschau24 1:00 p.m., April 17, 2022
“Resurrection is not an illusion”
With all this bloodshed and violence, it’s hard to believe that Jesus really rose from the dead, Francis said. But this is not an illusion. “The wounds on the body of the risen Jesus are signs of the fight that he fought and won for us with the weapons of love, so that we can live in peace,” explained the Church leader.
The pope warned not to get used to peace and asked: “Will we put an end to the human race – or will humanity be able to renounce war?” He remembered the refugees, the old people left alone, the children and the victims of abuse.
Traditional blessing “Urbi et Orbi”
Finally, the 85-year-old gave the traditional blessing “Urbi et orbi”, “The city and the world”. For the highest Christian festival, the square in front of the basilica was decorated with around 40,000 flowers and plants from the Netherlands.
On Saturday, the pope attended mass from a chair in front of the pews of the faithful because of persistent knee and hip pain. The head of the church did not preach a sermon. Instead, silence followed the gospel.
During the traditional Way of the Cross procession in Rome on Good Friday, the Pope prayed for peace in the world. During the procession itself, a sign of peace in Ukraine was set – one woman each from Ukraine and one from Russia carried the cross together at the penultimate station of the Way of the Cross. However, Ukrainian representatives had previously criticized the gesture.