In his Easter address Pope Francis offers prayers for Russians and Ukrainians, calls on Israel and Palestine to forge ‘a climate of trust,’ praises nations taking in refugees.
In an Easter message highlighting hope, Pope Francis on Sunday invoked prayers for both the Ukrainian and Russian people, praised nations that welcome refugees and called on Israelis and Palestinians wracked by the latest surge in deadly violence to forge a “climate of trust.”
Francis, along with dozens of prelates and tens of thousands of faithful, celebrated Easter Mass in a flower-adorned St. Peter’s Square, affirming the Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead days after his crucifixion.
The 86-year-old pontiff topped the celebration with a traditional speech about troubled places in the world. Encouraging “trust among individuals, peoples and nations,” Francis said Easter’s joy “illumines the darkness and gloom in which, all too often, our world finds itself enveloped.”
The pope’s Easter message is known by its Latin name, ”Urbi et Orbi,” which means “to the city and the world.”
Since Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in February 2022, Francis has repeatedly called for the fighting to end and sought prayers for the “martyred” Ukrainian people.
Ukrainian diplomats have complained that he hasn’t come down hard enough in his statements on Russia and particularly Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Vatican tries to avoid alienating Moscow.
“Help the beloved Ukrainian people on their journey towards peace, and shed the light of Easter upon the people of Russia,’’ Francis implored God in his Easter speech, which he delivered while sitting in a chair on the central balcony of St.
