Vatican City – In his first Easter message as pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday urged nations to use diplomacy to defuse nuclear crises – a clear reference to worries over Iran – and prayed that Palestinians would one day have their own state alongside Israel.
On Christianity’s most joyous day – which happened to fall on Benedict’s 79th birthday – the pontiff also prayed for Iraq’s relentless violence to cease.
From the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Benedict reflected on the globe’s troubled regions shortly after he celebrated Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square, which was packed with 100,000 pilgrims and tourists on a breezy, hazy day.
“Today, even in this modern age marked by anxiety and uncertainty, we relive the event of the Resurrection, which changed the face of our life and changed the history of humanity,” Benedict said in the traditional papal “Urbi et Orbi” message – Latin for “to the city and to the world.”
On Easter, Christians celebrate a core belief of their faith – that Jesus rose from the dead following his crucifixion. Orthodox Christians in Russia and elsewhere celebrate Easter on April 23.
Benedict made note of recent developments that have raised fears that Iran might be working toward building a nuclear arsenal.
“Concerning the international crises linked to nuclear power, may an honorable solution be found for all parties, through serious and honest negotiations,” Benedict said without naming any country. At the Vatican, Benedict was interrupted by applause when he said of Iraq: “May peace finally prevail over the tragic violence that continues mercilessly to claim victims.”
“I also pray sincerely that those caught up in the conflict in the Holy Land may find peace, and I invite all to patient and persevering dialogue, so as to remove both ancient and new obstacles,” the pontiff said.
