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Image: Pope Francis in 2021
This Urbi et Orbi Message is Pope Francis’ last important message to the world
May perpetual light shine upon Pope Francis and may he rest in peace.
Christ is risen, alleluia!
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today at last, the singing of the “Alleluia” is heard again in the Church, passing from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart,
and this makes the people of God throughout the world shed tears of joy.
From the empty tomb in Jerusalem, we hear unexpected good news:
The crucified Jesus “is not here, he has risen” (Lk 24:5).
Jesus is not in the tomb, he is alive!
Love has triumphed over hate, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has won over revenge.
Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand.
It no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.
Sisters and brothers, especially those of you who are in pain and sorrow, your silent cry has been heard and your tears have been counted; not one of them was lost!
In the passion and death of Jesus, God took upon himself all the evil of this world and in his infinite mercy has defeated it.
He has uprooted the diabolical pride that poisons the human heart and causes violence and corruption on every side.
The Lamb of God is victorious! That is why we can rejoice today:: “Christ, my hope, has risen!”
The resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope.
For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion.
Thanks to Christ — crucified and risen from the dead — hope does not disappoint!
Spes non confundit! (cf. Rom 5:5).
This hope is not an evasion, but a challenge; it does not deceive us, but strengthens us.
All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand.
They let themselves be lifted up and set out on a journey.
Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope,
They become witnesses of the victory of love and of the unarmed power of Life.
Christ is risen!
These words capture the whole meaning of our existence, for we were not created for death but for life.
Easter is the celebration of life!
God created us for life and wants the human family to be resurrected!
In his eyes, every life is precious!
The life of a child in its mother’s womb, as well as the life of the elderly and the sick, who in more and more countries are seen as people to be discarded.
What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness every day in the many conflicts that rage in different parts of our world!
How much violence we see, often even within families, directed against women and children!
How much contempt is sometimes shown for the weak, the marginalized, and migrants!
On this day, I would like us all to hope anew and to revive our trust in others,
including those who are different from us, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas!
For are all children of God!
I want us to renew our hope that peace is possible!
From the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Resurrection, where this year Easter is being celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox on the same day, may the light of peace shine throughout the Holy Land and the whole world.
I express my closeness to the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel,
and to all the people of Israel and Palestine.
The growing climate of anti-Semitism throughout the world is worrying.
At the same time, however, my thoughts turn to the people of Gaza, and in particular to its Christian community, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation.
I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of the hungry people seeking a future of peace!
Let us pray for the Christian communities in Lebanon and in Syria, which are currently experiencing a delicate transition in their history.
They long for stability and participation in the life of their respective nations.
I urge the whole Church to keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in her thoughts and prayers.
I also think especially of the people of Yemen, who are experiencing one of the world’s most serious and prolonged humanitarian crises due to war, and I invite all to find solutions through a constructive dialogue.
May the Risen Christ grant his Easter gift of peace to the war-torn Ukraine and encourage all parties to continue their efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.
On this feast day, let us remember the South Caucasus and pray that a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan will soon be signed and implemented, leading to the long-awaited reconciliation in the region.
May the light of Easter inspire efforts to promote harmony in the Western Balkans and sustain political leaders in their efforts to allay tensions and crises, and, together with their partner countries in the region, to reject dangerous and destabilizing actions.
May the risen Christ, our hope, grant peace and consolation to the African peoples who are victims of violence and conflict, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan and South Sudan.
May he sustain those suffering from the tensions in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, as well as those Christians who in many places are not able freely to profess their faith.
There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.
Nor can there be peace without genuine disarmament!
The requirement that each people provide for its own defense must not become a race to rearm.
The light of Easter urges us to break down the barriers that create divisions and have serious political and economic consequences.
It urges us to care for one another, to strengthen our mutual solidarity and to work for the integral development of every human being.
At this time, let us not fail to support the people of Myanmar, plagued by years of armed conflict, who are coping with courage and patience with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Sagaing, which caused the death of thousands and great suffering for the many survivors, including orphans and the elderly.
We pray for the victims and their loved ones and extend our heartfelt thanks to all the generous volunteers who are carrying out relief efforts.
The announcement of a ceasefire by various actors in the country is a sign of hope for all of Myanmar.
I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to give in to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help those in need, to fight hunger and to promote initiatives that promote development.
These are the “weapons” of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death!
May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions.
In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenseless civilians and attack schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are attacked, but persons, each with a soul and human dignity.
In this Jubilee Year, may Easter also be a fitting occasion for the liberation of prisoners of war and political prisoners!
Dear brothers and sisters, In the Paschal Mystery of the Lord, death and life fought a tremendous battle, but the Lord now lives forever (cf. Easter Sequence).
He fills us with the certainty that we too are called to share in the life that knows no end, when the clash of arms and the rumble of death will be heard no more.
Let us entrust ourselves to him, for he alone can make all things new (cf. Rev. 21:5)!
Happy Easter to everyone!
