The appearance came after the Pope, seemingly at the last minute, decided to reduce his participation in two major events of Holy Week.
(Andrew Medichini | Associated Press) Pope Francis meets with members of the 2023 World Youth Day Organizing Committee on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in the Vatican's Pope Paul VI Hall.
Amid renewed health concerns, Pope Francis presided over Easter Sunday Mass and, in a hoarse but powerful voice, made a clear appeal for peace in Israel, the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, echoing major voices in conflicts around the world. announced the annual message. .
The appearance came after the Pope, seemingly at the last minute, decided to reduce his participation in two major events of Holy Week.
The decisions appeared to represent a new phase in Francis' more than 11-year papacy, where a consistent theme has been to challenge humanity and embrace the limitations that shape us. Currently, he observes and emphasizes the limitations imposed by his own health constraints and enters a period of scaling back his own actions in order to conserve his strength for the most important moments. It seems like it was.
On Sunday after Mass, Francis took a long spin around St. Peter's Square in his papal mobile before ascending to a balcony overlooking the square to deliver the traditional Easter message.
“Let us not allow the winds of war to grow in Europe and the Mediterranean,” he told tens of thousands of believers, dignitaries, Swiss Guards and clergy.
Referring to the stone that blocked Jesus' tomb before his resurrection during Easter celebrations, Francis said, “Even today, large stones and heavy stones are blocking the hope of humanity.''
“Stones of war, stones of humanitarian crises, stones of human rights violations, stones of human trafficking and other stones,” he said.
The address outlined Francis' priorities, including the need to alleviate the suffering of people affected by war, natural disasters and famine in the parts of the world he visited. He addressed the plight of migrants, prayed for “comfort and hope” for the poor and spoke out against human trafficking and the arms trade.
Holy Week is one of the toughest and most important weeks in the Christian calendar, and Francis has been suffering all winter with what the Vatican calls flu, bronchitis, and cold-like symptoms. His doctor told Italian news media on Saturday that Francis was in good health for his age, but the flu season had been difficult for him.
This article was originally published in The New York Times.
