Easter is a feast of hope, a celebration of God’s mercy and a call to pray for and assist all who suffer, Pope Francis said on Easter Sunday, before giving his solemn blessing Urbi et Orbi (“To the city and the world”).
The risen Jesus “makes us sharers of his immortal life and enables us to see with his eyes of love and compassion those who hunger and thirst, strangers and prisoners, the marginalised and the outcast, the victims of oppression and violence”, the Pope said.
Easter in Rome dawned bright and sunny. In St Peter’s Square, the steps leading up to the basilica were turned into an abundant garden with thousands of tulips, daffodils and flowering bushes.
On Easter morning, the Pope does not give a homily. Instead, with hands clasped in prayer and head bowed, he led the tens of thousands of people in the square in silent reflection.
After Mass, before giving his solemn blessing, Pope Francis said Easter should give people the courage to “blaze trails of reconciliation with God and with all our brothers and sisters”. Speaking about Christ’s power over death and sin, the Pope prayed that the Lord would touch places in the globe scarred by war, terrorism, poverty and environmental destruction.
“The risen Christ points out paths of hope to beloved Syria, a country torn by a lengthy conflict, with its sad wake of destruction, death, contempt for humanitarian law and the breakdown of civil concord,” the Pope said. “To the power of the risen Lord we entrust the talks now in course.” He prayed that the power of the Resurrection would “overcome hardened hearts and promote a fruitful encounter of peoples”.
Pope washes feet of Muslim, Hindu and Coptic refugees
Pope Francis washed the feet of refugees on Holy Thursday, including Muslims, Hindus and Copts.
Gestures such as Jesus washing the feet of his disciples “speak louder than words”, he said during the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
Foot-washing, he said, was a “gesture of brotherhood” which signalled that, despite differences, “we are brothers and we want to live in peace”.
The Pope celebrated the Mass at the Centre for Asylum Seekers at Castelnuovo di Porto, about 15 miles north of Rome. Hundreds of refugees waited outside for a glimpse of the Pope. Before his arrival, Francis sent Easter presents for the centre’s guests: 200 chocolate Easter eggs, a wooden chessboard and several autographed footballs and baseballs.
After his homily, the Pope removed his vestments and put on a large white garment tied over his alb. He kneeled before each of the 12 people, washed each person’s foot slowly and dried it. The refugees were visibly emotional, some of them shedding tears as the Pope bent low and kissed their feet. A young mother wiped her eyes as the Pope gazed at her and reached out to touch her baby.
Pontiff baptises ambassador at Vigil
Pope Francis said nothing can separate us from the love of Christ in his homily at this year’s Easter Vigil.
“Christ wants to come and take us by the hand to bring us out of our anguish,” the Pope said. “Today is the celebration of our hope, the celebration of this truth: nothing and no one will ever be able to separate us from his love.”
During the Easter vigil, Pope Francis baptised 12 people, including the South Korean ambassador to Italy.
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