Pope Francis shares Easter message: Draws attention to Gaza

The spiritual leader of Catholics, Pope Francis, called for access to humanitarian aid in Gaza and an immediate ceasefire in his Easter message.

On the occasion of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Christianity, the Pope presided over the Easter mass at the Vatican's famous St. Peter's Square.

Following the mass, which was held under tight security measures after the terrorist attack in Moscow, the capital of Russia, on March 22, the Pope greeted the crowd gathered in the square from the 'Popemobile'.

Pope Francis then delivered his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi (to the city and to the world)' speech, in which he shared his Easter message regarding world affairs from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, which also gives the square its name.

In his speech, the Pope stated, "My thoughts go primarily to the victims of the many ongoing conflicts in the world, starting with Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine," and wished for the spirit of Easter to bring peace to the suffering peoples of these regions.

Calling for respect for the principles of international law, Pope Francis said, "I hope for a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine."

Addressing Gaza, the spiritual leader of Catholics said, "I once again call for access to humanitarian aid to be guaranteed in Gaza. I once again call for the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped on October 7 and for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

'LET US NOT ALLOW THE WINDS OF WAR TO BLOW STRONGER'

Emphasizing that the civilian population, especially children, should not be allowed to be affected by ongoing hostilities, conflicts, and wars, the Pope continued:

"How much suffering we see in their eyes. With their gaze, they ask us: why so much death, why so much destruction? War is always an absurdity and a defeat. Let us not allow the winds of war to blow even stronger over Europe and the Mediterranean. Do not surrender to the logic of rearmament."

The Pope stated that they should not forget Syria, which has been experiencing the consequences of a 'long and devastating war' for 14 years, and noted that he is also thinking of Lebanon, which has been going through a deep economic and social crisis for a long time and has recently experienced tensions on its border with Israel.

Pope Francis expressed, "I address a special thought to the Western Balkans, where important steps are being taken towards integration into the European project: may ethnic, cultural, and confessional differences not be a cause of division, but rather become a source of enrichment for all of Europe and for the whole world."

Touching upon the negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Pope commented, "I encourage the talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan so that, with the support of the international community, they may continue the dialogue, assist the displaced, respect the places of worship of the various religious confessions, and arrive as soon as possible at a final peace agreement."

The Pope expressed his wish for the violence in Haiti to stop as soon as possible and wished for the Rohingya, who are affected by a serious humanitarian crisis, to find peace, and for a path of reconciliation to be found in Myanmar.

Pope Francis expressed his wish for paths of peace to be opened for places experiencing problems on the African continent, especially in Sudan, the entire Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mozambique.

The Pope gave the message that they should not forget those dying of hunger, those forced to migrate, and the victims of abuse and violence.

On the other hand, Pope Francis, who has been unwell for some time and could not attend the 'Way of the Cross' ritual, which is an Easter tradition, appeared tired during the Easter masses last night and today and seemed to have difficulty while speaking.

News Source: AA