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Pope Francis broadcast his Easter Sunday Mass live to Catholics around the world from a near-empty St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, with coronavirus rules forcing worshippers to stay away.
The head of the Catholic Church usually delivers Easter Mass to a congregation of tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square.
The service is considered the most important in the Christian calendar and is usually joyful, as Christians are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
But, with Italy one of the hardest-hit countries by the global coronavirus pandemic, social distancing measures have made public gatherings off limits.
Police formed a barrier on the outside of the square to stop any worshippers who might try to come in for the occasion.
Delivering the service, Francis called for solidarity across the world to confront the “epochal challenge” posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
He urged political leaders in particular to give hope and opportunity to laid-off workers.
Francis recalled that Europe rose again after the Second World War “thanks to a concrete spirit of solidarity that enabled it to overcome the rivalries of the past”.
He said: “This is not a time for self-centeredness, because the challenge we are facing is shared by all, without distinguishing between persons.”
Francis also offered special prayers for the sick, the dead, the elderly, refugees and the poor. He also offered thanks and encouragement to doctors and nurses who have worked “to the point of exhaustion and not infrequently at the expense of their own health”.
During the Easter vigil on Saturday night, Francis told viewers that it was important to keep hope during the pandemic.
He said: “Tonight we acquire a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: the right to hope.
“It is a new and living hope that comes from God.”
The Good Friday procession, another important part of Easter celebrations, was also muted this year.
The Pope is usually joined by around 10,000 pilgrims in the Colosseum to commemorate Jesus’ trial and execution in Rome.
But this year the Pope livestreamed the event from St Peter’s Square.
The Pope’s Easter mass mirrors Christian celebrations around the world as worshippers under lockdown take part in online services instead.
The head of the Catholic church in England, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, reminded listeners of reasons for optimism in his service on Saturday evening.
He said: “We know that the Holy Spirit continues to hover over our world. In the work of creation, gifts are given of scientific genius, selfless service, enlightened business practice, compassion and generosity in so many hearts.
“We know, too, that these gifts, energised by the Holy Spirit, will bring us forth from this pandemic, which seems so like a tomb. For it is through this same Spirit that the tomb of Jesus is broken open.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England, livestreamed his Easter service from his kitchen.
Mr Welby talked about inequality in British society, saying in a pre-recorded sermon: “After so much suffering, so much heroism from key workers and the NHS, we cannot be content to go back to what was before as if all is normal.”
The Archbishop linked the suffering felt by many during the coronavirus outbreak with the suffering that Christians believe Jesus underwent on the cross.
He added: “In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have a hope that is surer than stone; than any architecture.
“Even in the dark days of this Easter we can feed on hope. We can dream of what our country and our world will look like after the pandemic.”
