After praying the Regina Coeli prayer on Easter Monday, Pope Francis celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement. It was signed on Good Friday 1998 and put an end to the violence that had plagued Northern Ireland for decades.
POPE FRANCIS
In a grateful spirit, I pray to the God of peace that what was achieved in that historic step may be strengthened for the benefit of all the men and women of the Island of Ireland.
The Pope gave a short catechesis, where he praised the women in the Gospel who were the first to go to the empty tomb.
POPE FRANCIS
Like all the disciples, they too were grieving over the way Jesus' story seemed to have ended. But unlike the others, they did not stay at home paralyzed by sadness and fear. Early in the morning, at sunrise, they went to honor Jesus' body, carrying the aromatic ointments.
Pope Francis asked the pilgrims present to imitate His example and share the joy of the resurrection. He said that sharing the Good News with others is the best way to truly understand it.
POPE FRANCIS
This is beautiful: Jesus meets them as they go to proclaim Him. When we proclaim the Lord, the Lord comes to us.
Pope Francis said goodbye to the pilgrims in the Square and wished them a good lunch. On Easter Monday, in Italian Pasquetta, it is a Roman tradition to share a large meal with one's family.
RM
TR: KG
