Pope Francis appeals for Gaza ceasefire and Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap in Easter prayers

Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap during prayers in Easter Mass on Sunday 31 March.

The Pontiff made the remarks in front of thousands of Catholic worshippers and onlookers outside St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

In his remarks, the pope also called for the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 terror attack.

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[EileenMckenna-opdj]

Lord hear our cry.
Lord have Mercy.
Lord heal all lands.📿🙏📿🙏📿🙏📿🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸

[vincentberg]

Pope Francis has not been silent about the war in Ukraine. He has condemned this war and called for stopping it immediately. He has attempted a peace mission.
Yet, it is broadly expected that the Pope of Rome should be acting first and foremost as the spiritual leader and teacher.
Regrettably, I have to express my opinion that
- Pope Francis, as the spiritual leader and teacher, has never publicly expressed his views about the Moscow Patriarchate's attempts to provide religious inspiration and justification not only for the war in Ukraine, but for the Russian authorities' nationalistic aggressive ideas of "spiritual" supremacy of Russia and its "holy" role in the modern world as a "defender" of Christianity and "traditional" values, "Russian world", and so on.
- Pope Francis, as the spiritual leader and teacher, has never publicly offered his vision on the spiritual position of the Moscow’s Patriarch blessing a murderous war, elevating it to the status of a crusade and preaching presumed forgiveness of personal sins of all the Russian soldiers involved in this war.
- Pope Francis, as the spiritual leader and teacher, has never publicly offered a spiritual teaching on the incompatibility of Christianity and nationalism as it specifically applies to the war in Ukraine and current nationalistic tendencies in the world.
My belief is that it is vitally essential. From this perspective, it is hard to appreciate and accept the lack of Pope Francis' spiritual reaction to such a challenge and its replacement by a public stance regarding political aspects, in which the Pope Francis’ competence looks doubtful.
Sincerely, bishop Vincent Berg.

[th.trumpet]

He'll be screaming about global melting next week ! All depends on who gives him the biggest envelope and script to read.

[alfa]

And shall pope tell russians to give us back at least 50 ukrainian pow which they murdered in Olenivka, and at least 6 they killed in Avdiivka, and children and families russians forcefuly deported and many more on the contrary to ukraine who keeps russian pows safe, dry and fed.

[johnhughes]

Israel will be stronger with open borders. Diversity will be Israel’s strength.