Vatican City ∙ Pope Francis’ Easter speech without naming Russia and sharply criticizing Ukraine’s drag into the war. For the first time since the outbreak of the Covid epidemic, more than a million people attended the Easter celebrations that allowed worshipers to enter St. Peter’s Square. After an hour-long Mass, Pope Francis addressed a special ‘Urbi et Orbi’ (city and world) condemning the war in Ukraine and thanking the countries that had accepted the refugees.
‘The Easter of War is incredible to our eyes. We have seen a lot of blood and violence. Our minds are filled with fear and anguish when so many brothers are shut up to escape the bombing. “Peace be upon Ukraine, which has been dragged into a brutal and irrational war,” he said.
The pope called for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine, as well as between the peoples of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar and the Congo. The pope also attended Mass on Saturday night. Three MPs from Ukraine and the mayor of Melitopol attended the Mass. Pope Francis addressed the Ukrainian people’s representatives at the end of his emotional speech against the war, reading the last chapter of “Christ is risen” in Ukrainian.
Jerusalem as an ocean of faith
Tens of thousands turned out for the Easter celebrations at the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem yesterday. According to the Western Christian calendar, yesterday was Easter Sunday in the Eastern Orthodox Church when believers celebrated Easter. With the coming together of the Passover observance of Judaism and the fasting of Ramadan by Muslims, the city of Jerusalem, considered holy by all three religions, became an ocean of faith.
English Summary: On ‘Easter of war,’ Pope Francis implicitly criticises Russia over Ukraine