Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter's Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St Peter's Square at the Vatican, Apr 20, 2025.(Photo: AP/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis makes brief Easter appearance, calls for Gaza ceasefire

· CNA · Join

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in an Easter message read aloud by an aide on Sunday (Apr 20) as the pontiff, still recovering from pneumonia, looked on during a brief appearance on the main balcony of St Peter's Basilica.

The 88-year-old pope, limiting his workload on doctors' orders, did not preside over the Vatican's Mass for Easter but appeared at the end of the event for a twice-yearly blessing and message known as the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world).

Before a five-week hospital stay for pneumonia, which nearly killed him, Pope Francis had been ramping up criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful" in January.

In the Easter message, the pontiff said the situation in Gaza was "dramatic and deplorable". The pope also called on Palestinian militant group Hamas to release its remaining hostages and condemned what he said was a "worrisome" trend of antisemitism in the world.

"I express my closeness to the sufferings ... of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people," said the message.

"I appeal to the warring parties: Call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace," it said.

Pope Francis tours St. Peter's Square in his popemobile after bestowing the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis tours St. Peter's Square in his popemobile after bestowing the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass presided over by Cardinal Angelo Comastri in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025.(AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Hamas last week rejected an Israeli proposal for another temporary truce, instead demanding a deal to end the war in exchange for the release of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he had instructed the Israeli military to intensify pressure on Hamas.

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led Oct 7 attack on southern Israel in 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities. The Gaza health ministry says 1,600 people have been killed in the past month.

Earlier on Sunday, Pope Francis held a meeting at the Vatican with US Vice President JD Vance, who has been visiting Italy over the weekend.

The Vatican said the meeting with Vance was brief, "lasting a few minutes", in order to exchange Easter greetings.

Source: Reuters/fh

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here