Monday 1 April 2013

Pope's words of peace for his first Easter message

Pope Francis greets the faithful prior to his first 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica during Easter Mass on March 31, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican.



Millions of people around the world have celebrated the most important day in the Christian calendar.
Members of the Royal Family were led by the Queen at the traditional Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle.

A crowd of well-wishers gathered outside St George's Chapel to see the royals as they arrived for the Matins service on a cold March morning.

The Queen, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, wore a long pink coat and matching hat accessorised by a flower.

Princess Eugenie wore a cream dress and hat with a black coat, while her sister, Princess Beatrice, wore a turquoise dress and coat, with a yellow hat.

Their father, the Duke of York, was also at the service.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis delivered a plea for peace in his first Easter Sunday message to the world.

He expressed sorrow at the seemingly endless conflicts in the Middle East and on the Korean peninsula after celebrating Mass along with more than 250,000 people in flower-bedecked St Peter's Square.

Francis shared in his flock's exuberance as they celebrated Christianity's core belief that Jesus Christ rose from the dead following crucifixion.

After Mass, he stepped aboard an open-topped white pope-mobile for a cheerful spin through the joyous crowd, kissing babies and patting children on the head.

In Northern Ireland thousands marked Easter Sunday.

Cross-community and church events took place across the country, with religious leaders urging people to maintain hope.

Bishop of Down and Dromore, Rev Harold Miller, spoke of the current plight of farmers and the loyalist flag protests earlier this year.

"We live at a time when many of our hopes have been dashed," he said.

"Many of our farmers have lost precious livestock and the recent support of the Executive is just a small glimpse of light at a very dark time.

"For others, it is the re-emergence of deep sectarianism at the turn of the year, and the sense that there is little intentionality in government about a shared future.

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