Pope celebrates Easter, urges people, nations to turn away from sin

Published: 2006-04-17

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Celebrating the first Holy Week and Easter of his pontificate, Pope Benedict XVI called on individuals and nations to turn away from their sins and accept the love, truth and peace offered by the crucified and risen Christ. After presiding April 16 over Easter morning Mass amid thousands of flowers and blossoming trees in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict solemnly offered his blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city of Rome and the world), and prayed for peace and justice in the most troubled areas of the world. While a couple of people at the morning Mass held signs wishing the pope a happy 79th birthday, there was no repeat of the sung wishes that had filled St. Peter's Basilica at 1 a.m. when the Easter Vigil ended. During his midday Easter blessing, the pope called for "serious and honest negotiations" to find an "honorable solution" to the standoff between Iran and the international community over Iran's nuclear program. He also prayed that "in Iraq may peace finally prevail over the tragic violence that continues mercilessly to claim victims."

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