Pope Francis delivers ‘message of hope’ on Easter vigil

Vatican City

“Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear: This is the message of hope,” Pope Francis told the world last night as he led an Easter vigil Mass in an empty St. Peter’s Basilica. The Pope’s “message of hope” came amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, while he also called for an end to wars.

“It is addressed to us, today; these are the words that God repeats to us this very night,” he said. He encouraged people to be “messengers of life in a time of death”. “Let us silence the cries of death, no more wars!” he added.

“May we stop the production and trade of weapons, since we need bread, not guns,” he added. The vigil, which normally takes place in a church packed with about 10,000 people, was attended by only about two dozen, including a few altar servers and a smaller-than-usual choir.