From the balcony of the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis has reappeared to offer the traditional urbi et orbi blessing on Easter Sunday with a message warning about the “winds of war” blowing in the world: "No Let us allow the winds of war to blow ever stronger over Europe and over the Mediterranean," he said, evoking the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Francis, who did not attend the Stations of the Cross on Friday to "preserve his health," appeared in good shape and, before the more than 60,000 people gathered in the square, directed his thoughts "to the victims of so many conflicts that are ongoing in the world, starting with those of Israel and Palestine, and in Ukraine.
The Pope has reviewed the conflicts and evils in the world and has stated that God "opens the doors of life, those doors that we continually close with the wars that proliferate in the world."
"War is always an absurdity and a defeat. Let us not allow the winds of war to blow ever stronger over Europe and the Mediterranean. Let us not give in to the logic of weapons and rearmament," the Pope warned. Francis, while adding that "peace is never built with weapons, but by reaching out and opening the heart."
The Pope remembered "the victims of so many conflicts that are ongoing in the world, starting with those in Israel and Palestine, and in Ukraine" and asked that "the risen Christ open a path of peace for the martyred populations of those regions." ".
The Pope then insisted on "respecting the principles of international law." Among his pleas he asked for "a general exchange of all prisoners between Russia and Ukraine." "All for all!", he has asserted.
The Vatican had previously mediated a prisoner exchange in the first months of the conflict, but the Holy See's diplomatic mission has subsequently stalled.
Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi both to carry out a primarily humanitarian mediation mission and to return Ukrainian children deported to Russia to their country, but so far there have been no results.
Francis has reiterated his call to "guarantee the possibility of humanitarian aid access to Gaza, once again urging the rapid release of the hostages kidnapped on October 7 and an immediate ceasefire in the Strip."
"Let us not allow the ongoing hostilities to continue seriously affecting the already exhausted civilian population, and especially the children. How much suffering we see in their eyes," the Pope noted. "With their gaze they ask us: why? Why so much death? Why so much destruction? War is always absurd and a defeat," he added.
Likewise, the Pope has asked not to forget Syria, which has been suffering from war for fourteen years, or Lebanon, long affected by an institutional blockade and a deep economic and social crisis, now aggravated by hostilities on the border with Israel and urged to continue talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The pontiff has requested "consolation to the victims of any form of terrorism" and prayers "for those who have lost their lives and we implore the repentance and conversion of the authors of these crimes."
Pope Francis has also cited the situation in the Western Balkan region, "where significant steps are being taken towards integration into the European project" and prayed that "ethnic, cultural and confessional differences will not be a cause of division."
With respect to Haiti, he has called for "the violence that lacerates and bloody to cease as soon as possible so that progress can be made on the path of democracy and fraternity" and that it "comfort the Rohingya, afflicted by a serious humanitarian crisis, and open the way of reconciliation in Myanmar.
In his message, the Pope has not forgotten migrants and those experiencing economic problems so that they can find hope and solidarity, and children who "lack essential care or are victims of abuse and violence."
