Pope Francis Appeals for Gaza Ceasefire in Easter Blessing

Pope Francis made a rare public appearance on Easter Sunday in St. Peter's Square, greeting tens of thousands of faithful despite ongoing recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia. While he delegated the celebration of Easter Mass and the reading of his traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing to aides, the pope personally delivered a brief Easter greeting from the balcony. In his message, Francis called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, condemned the humanitarian crisis there, appealed for peace in Ukraine and other conflict zones, and denounced rising antisemitism worldwide. The pontiff also briefly met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance to exchange Easter greetings, highlighting diplomatic engagement amid ongoing global tensions. Due to his health, Francis had missed most Holy Week events and continues to follow doctors' orders for rest and limited public activity. Nevertheless, his appearance underscored both the gravity of current global conflicts and the resilience of his leadership.