Tens of thousands flock to Vatican square for Pope’s Easter Sunday mass

Tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists flocked to the Vatican City on Easter Sunday (10 April) to see Pope Francis open a celebration of Mass.

In an Easter message at St Peter’s Square highlighting hope, the pontiff invoked prayers for both the Ukrainian and Russian people, praised nations that welcome refugees, and called on Israelis and Palestinians affected by the latest surge in deadly violence to forge a “climate of trust”.

It comes as the 86-tear-old recovers from a bout of bronchitis, which saw him treated in hospital for three days.

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