On what is supposed to be Christianity's most joyful day, Pope Francis made an anguished Easter Sunday plea for peace in the "senseless" war in Ukraine and other armed conflicts raging in the world and voiced concern over the risk of nuclear warfare.
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"May there be peace for war-torn Ukraine, so sorely tried by the violence and destruction of this cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged," Francis said, speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter's Square.
The pontiff had just finished celebrating Easter Mass in the square packed with visitors for the first time since the pandemic began in early 2020. Upon the mention of Ukraine, applause erupted from many of the crowd, estimated by the Vatican to number 100,000.
"Please, please, let us not get used to war," Francis pleaded, after denouncing "the flexing of muscles while people are suffering." He refrained from mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin by name.
People's hearts are filled with "fear and anguish, as so many of our brothers and sisters have had to lock themselves away in order to be safe from bombing," the pontiff said. "Let us all commit ourselves to imploring peace, from our balconies and in our streets. May the leaders of nations hear people's plea for peace."
In a clear reference to the threat of nuclear warfare, Francis asked, "Shall we put an end to the human race, or shall mankind renounce war?" He was quoting from a 1995 manifesto written by philosopher Bertrand Russell and physicist Albert Einstein, which sounds a grim warning against the consequences of nuclear warfare.
Francis also drew attention to other wars in the speech known by its Latin name "Urbi et Orbi" – to the city and to the world.
"May the conflict in Europe also make us more concerned about other situations of conflict, suffering, and sorrow, situations that affect all too many areas of our world, situations that we cannot overlook and do not want to forget," he said.
Two days after Palestinians and Israeli police clashed in Jerusalem, Francis prayed that "Israelis, Palestinians and all the inhabitants of the Holy City, together with pilgrims, experience the beauty of peace, of living in brotherhood and of accessing Holy Places" in reciprocal respect.
He called for peace and reconciliation for the peoples of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Libya.
Francis spoke plaintively about Yemen, "which suffers from a conflict forgotten by all, with continuous victims." He expressed hope that a recent truce would restore hope to that country's people.
He also prayed that God grant "reconciliation for Myanmar, where a dramatic scenario of hatred and violence persists," and for Afghanistan, which is gripped by a humanitarian crisis, including food shortages.
Francis denounced the exploitation of the African continent and "terrorist attacks – particularly in the Sahel region," as well as the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia and violence in Congo.
In Latin America, many have seen their plight worsen during the coronavirus pandemic, aggravating social problems stemming from corruption, violence, and drug trafficking, the pontiff said.
But Francis found hope in the "open doors of all those families and communities that are welcoming migrants and refugees throughout Europe," referring to the some 10 million people who have either fled Ukraine or are internally displaced by the war.
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Earlier, the pontiff, who has a knee ligament problem, limped badly as he made his way to an altar set up in front of St. Peter's Basilica. After the end of Mass, Francis boarded the white popemobile for a whirl through the square among the cheering crowd.
The easing of many pandemic restrictions has seen tourism boom in Rome, with many flooding the city for Holy Week ceremonies that culminated on Easter.
In Spain, believers and secular enthusiasts flocked back in large numbers to the procession held for the time since the start of the pandemic after most health restrictions were lifted.
