At noon on Sunday, the Holy Father delivered his Easter Urbi et Orbi message from the central loggia of the basilica, in which he addressed the world's current conflicts in the spirit of Christ's redemption and the hope that comes from it.
In the Vatican, on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father pontificated the Easter Urbi et Orbi message and his blessing to the world:
"Today, the news that started from Jerusalem two thousand years ago echoes throughout the world: "Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, has risen" (cf. Mk 16:6). The Church relives the shock of the women who went out to the tomb at dawn on the first day of the week. Jesus' tomb was closed by a large stone; even today, the hope of humanity is blocked by heavy, too heavy masses: the mass of wars, the mass of humanitarian crises, the mass of human rights violations, the mass of human trafficking, and so many more. We, like the female disciples of Jesus, ask each other: "Who will roll away this stone?" (cf. Mk 16:3)," Pope Francis began his speech, then continued the thought as follows:
“And behold, the discovery of Easter morning: the stone, this great stone, had already been rolled away. The women's astonishment is ours too: Jesus' tomb is open and empty! It all starts here. Through this empty tomb leads the new path, which not we, but God was able to open: the path of life in the midst of death, the path of peace in the midst of war, the path of reconciliation in the midst of hatred, the path of brotherhood in the midst of hostility".
"My brothers, Jesus Christ is risen, and only he can roll away the stones that block the way of life. Moreover, He Himself is the One who Lives, the Way: the Way of life, peace, reconciliation, brotherhood. He opens the only possible path for us by taking away the sin of the world and forgiving our sins. This stone cannot be removed without God's forgiveness. Without forgiveness of sins, we cannot get out of our closed-mindedness, prejudices, mutual suspicion, beliefs that always exonerate ourselves and accuse others. Only the resurrected Christ opens the way to a renewed world by offering us the forgiveness of sins," the Holy Father emphasized.
"He is the only one who opens the gates of life, the gates that we close over and over again with the wars spreading around the world.
Today, above all, we look at the Holy City of Jerusalem. This city is witness to the mystery of Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. We also look at all the Christian communities of the Holy Land. Above all, my thoughts turn to the victims of the many conflicts taking place around the world, starting with Israel and Palestine, as well as Ukraine. May the resurrected Christ open the way to peace for the tormented population of these regions. While calling on everyone to respect the principles of international law, I wish for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine: all for all!" - said Pope Francis, who then went on to list at length the sources of crisis in the world: Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Western Balkans, Haiti, and Sudan.
"Furthermore, I raise my voice again to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling again for the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped on October 7 last year and for an immediate ceasefire in the entire zone.
We must not allow the ongoing hostilities to have a severe impact on the civilian population, which has already endured much suffering, and especially on children. How much suffering we see in the eyes of the children who managed to smile in that war land. We ask with their eyes: why? Why so many deaths? Why the destruction? War is always absurdity and defeat. Let's not allow the winds of war to blow more and more strongly over Europe and the Mediterranean! Let us not give in to the logic of weapons and rearmament! Peace can never be built with weapons, because it is only possible if we extend a hand to each other and open our hearts," the Holy Father pointed out.
Pope Francis asked his audience not to forget about Syria, which has been suffering the consequences of a long and destructive war for thirteen years. So many deaths, missing persons, severe poverty and destruction await an answer from everyone, including the international community.
"Today, I am particularly looking at Lebanon, which has been bound by an institutional shutdown and a deep economic and social crisis for quite some time, which is further aggravated by the hostilities on the Israeli border. May the Risen One comfort the Lebanese people and support the entire country to fulfill its vocation: to be a land of meeting, coexistence and pluralism!
I am particularly thinking of the region of the Western Balkans, where serious steps are being taken for European integration: ethnic, cultural and religious differences should not become the cause of division, but should be a source of wealth for the whole of Europe and the whole world!" - emphasized Pope Francis, who encouraged the dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan, so that they can continue the dialogue with the help of the international community, provide assistance to the displaced, respect the places of worship of the various religious denominations and reach an agreement that brings final peace as soon as possible!
"May the resurrected Christ open the way of hope to all those who suffer violence, conflict, food insecurity, or the effects of climate change in other parts of the world. Give comfort to the victims of all kinds of terrorism! We pray for all those who have lost their lives and plead for the repentance and conversion of those who commit such acts.
May the Risen One help the people of Haiti to put an end to the violence that plagues and covers the country in blood as soon as possible. May you move forward on the path of democracy and fraternity!
Give comfort to the Rohingya, who are suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis, and open the way for reconciliation in Myanmar, which has been plagued by internal conflicts for years, so that all forms of the logic of violence are left behind once and for all," the Holy Father asked,
who also begged for the resurrected Christ to open the paths of peace on the African continent,
especially in front of Sudan and the entire Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, the Kiyu area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the long-lived population of Capo Delgado province in Mozambique! "End the prolonged drought that affects entire regions and brings shortages and starvation!" - said the Holy Father.
"May the Risen One shine his light on the migrants and all those who are experiencing economic difficulties, give them comfort and hope in their time of need! May Christ lead all people of good will to unite in solidarity and face together the many challenges that oppress the poorest families seeking a better life and happiness," said the speech.
Pope Francis pointed out: on Easter Sunday we celebrate the life given to us by the resurrection of the Son, and we remember God's infinite love for all of us: this love surpasses all limits and all weakness. "And yet we so often underestimate the precious gift of life! How many children are there who cannot even see the light of day? How many die of hunger or lack basic care, or become victims of abuse and violence? How many lives have fallen prey to the ever-expanding human trafficking?"
The Holy Father highlighted: on the day when Christ freed us from the captivity of death, he exhorts all persons with political responsibility not to spare their efforts against the scourge of human trafficking, working tirelessly to expose the networks of exploitation, bringing freedom to all victims.
"May the Lord comfort their families, especially those who are anxiously waiting for news about their loved ones! Give him comfort and hope! May the light of the resurrection enlighten our minds and convert our hearts, making us aware of the value of every human life! This life must be accepted, protected and loved! Happy Easter to everybody!" Pope Francis concluded his Easter Urbi et Orbi message.
Vatican News
Cover image: The head of the church said his usual blessing to Rome and the world (Urbi et Orbi)
Source: Facebook/Vatican News
