Pope Francis concluded a bleak
week in Europe with a message of hope during an Easter Vigil service
Saturday, saying darkness and fear must not prevail and "imprison" the
world with pessimism.
Francis' call to hope on the eve of the most joyful
celebration in the Christian calendar contrasted sharply with his sharp
condemnation in recent days of the attacks in Belgium and elsewhere by
Islamic extremists.
Francis entered the silent and darkened basilica with just a single candle guiding him at the start of the vigil. As he reached the altar, the basilica's floodlights flipped on in a symbolic show of light after the darkness of Good Friday, which recalls Jesus' death.
In his homily, Francis said the hope that Easter brings is a lesson for the Christian faithful to cast aside the pessimism that can "imprison" people inside of themselves.
"We see and will continue to see problems both inside and out. They will always be there," he said. But he insisted: "Let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control our hearts."
Francis entered the silent and darkened basilica with just a single candle guiding him at the start of the vigil. As he reached the altar, the basilica's floodlights flipped on in a symbolic show of light after the darkness of Good Friday, which recalls Jesus' death.
In his homily, Francis said the hope that Easter brings is a lesson for the Christian faithful to cast aside the pessimism that can "imprison" people inside of themselves.
"We see and will continue to see problems both inside and out. They will always be there," he said. But he insisted: "Let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control our hearts."
"Today
is the celebration of our hope," he said. "It is so necessary today."
The Easter message recalling Christ's resurrection, "awakens and
resurrects hope in hearts burdened by sadness," he said.
The
lengthy vigil service included a papal baptism for 12 adults hailing
from China, South Korea and other countries around the world. Early
Sunday, Francis will preside over Easter Mass and offer his annual
Easter blessing.
During
remarks Friday at the Colosseum capping the "Way of the Cross"
procession re-enacting Jesus' crucifixion, Francis denounced the
"terrorist acts committed by followers of some religions which profane
the name of God and which use the holy name to justify their
unprecedented violence."
While
the pope was at the Colosseum, his chief alms-giver was out on the
streets of Rome giving out sleeping bags to the homeless Friday night in
a show of papal support for the city's least fortunate.
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