Pope Francis Celebrates Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square, Invokes Prayers for Ukrainian and Russian People and Calls for Israelis and Palestinians to Forge a Climate of Trust.

On Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated Easter Mass in a flower-adorned St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. The square was decorated with a carpet of 38,000 flowers donated by the Netherlands. The Pope was joined by dozens of prelates and tens of thousands of worshippers, as well as honor units of the Vatican Swiss Guards.

In his Easter message, Pope Francis highlighted hope and invoked prayers for both the Ukrainian and Russian people. He praised nations which welcome refugees and called on Israelis and Palestinians wracked by the latest surge in deadly violence to forge a “climate of trust.”

The Pope had been discharged from the hospital just over a week prior, after four days of treatment for bronchitis. He spoke of the “darkness and gloom in which, all too often, our world finds itself enveloped” as he highlighted trouble spots across the globe.

The Easter celebration affirmed the Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead days after his crucifixion. The Pope’s message of hope was met with cheers from the crowd in St. Peter’s Square.

The Pope’s message of hope and peace was a reminder of the power of faith and the importance of coming together in times of difficulty. The Easter celebration was a reminder of the power of faith and the importance of coming together in times of difficulty.