Vatican, April 17 (FN Agency) Pope Francis on the occasion of Easter Sunday said that the world is marking an “Easter of war” and urged for peace in Ukraine as the war has been dragged into a “cruel and senseless war.” Delivering his annual “Urbi et Orbi” Easter blessing, the Pope said, “We have seen all too much blood, all too much violence. Our hearts, too, have been filled with fear and anguish…our eyes, too, are incredulous on this Easter of war.” “May there be peace for war-torn Ukraine, so sorely tried by the violence and destruction of the cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged.
In this terrible night of suffering and death, may a new dawn of hope soon appear! Let there be a decision for peace. May there be an end to the flexing of muscles while people are suffering,” Pope Francis said from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after Easter Mass. According to CNN, around 100,000 people attended the Pope’s Easter Mass and among them were several Ukrainian politicians, including Ivan Fedorov, the elected mayor of the occupied Ukrainian city of Melitopol who was detained by Russian forces last month and accused of terrorism offenses.