Pope Francis Delivers Easter Plea For Peace

Pope Francis has delivered a passionate plea for peace in his first Easter Sunday message since being elected. Francis used his "Urbi et Orbi" address to call for peace in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and across the globe. He singled out "dear Syria", saying: "How much blood has been shed! And how much suffering must there still be before a political solution is found?" Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar and pilgrims have attended church across the world. 'Divided by greed' Pope Francis, formerly Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected on 13 March, becoming the first non-European pope for almost 1,300 years. He replaced Benedict XVI, who held the office for eight years and became the first pontiff in more than 700 years to resign, saying he no longer had the physical strength to continue. In his Urbi et Orbi (To the city and the world) speech, Pope Francis began with a simple "Happy Easter!" The 76-year-old Pope, who has begun his tenure by emphasising humility, went on: "Christ has risen! What a joy it is for me to announce this message... I would like it to go out to every house and every family, especially where the suffering is greatest, in hospitals, in prisons." Later in his speech, Pope Francis said: "We ask the risen Jesus, who turns death into life, to change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace."