Pope Francis opened the traditional celebration of the Easter Vigil with 8,000 thousand faithful on Saturday evening. The liturgy began in the atrium of the Vatican Basilica with the consecration of the Paschal Fire, which was then used to light the Paschal Candle.
On entering the still dark St. Peter’s Basilica, the candles of the priests and then those of all the faithful were lit under the cry of “Lumen Christi” (Light of Christ). The pope reached the altar in a wheelchair. The candles symbolize the resurrection of Jesus, which is celebrated by Christians worldwide. True to tradition, the pope baptized eight adults during the Easter vigil, who came from countries including Albania, the US, Venezuela and Nigeria.
The liturgy was also celebrated with the Pope by 94-year-old Cardinal Ernest Simoni, who was proclaimed a cardinal by Francis after meeting him during his 2014 trip to Albania. Simoni is one of the Catholic clergy who were persecuted by the communist regime of Enver Hoxha.
Prayers also include war
“At times we have felt powerless and discouraged in the face of the power of evil, the conflicts that tear relationships apart, the logic of calculation and indifference that seems to rule society, the cancer of corruption of which there is so much, the spread of injustice, the icy winds of war,” said Francis. “The Easter of the Lord urges us to come out of the sense of defeat, to roll away the stone from the tombs in which we often imprison hope, and to face the future with to face it with confidence, for Christ is risen and the direction of history has changed,” explained the pope, whose voice sounded tired at times.
The Stations of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum took place on Good Friday without Pope Francis, who was released from hospital last Saturday. Due to the low temperatures, the head of the Catholic Church watched the evening procession from the Santa Marta guest house where he is staying. He joined the prayer of those in attendance with the Diocese of Rome at the Colosseum, the Vatican said.
“Urbi et orbi” traditional on Sunday
In Rome, the strictest security measures are in force around Easter celebrations. Anti-terror units and special police forces guard the area around the Vatican. The area around Sint-Pietersplein was cordoned off and equipped with metal detectors. Pilgrims could follow the ceremony with the pope on screens from St. Peter’s Square.
On Sunday, from 10 a.m., the Pope will celebrate Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square and pronounce the blessing “Urbi et orbi” from the central loggia of the basilica. Up to 60,000 pilgrims and visitors are expected.
Source: Krone
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