In his message Urbi et Orbi, Benedict XVI calls upon humanity to build a future of love and truth and overcome the many tragic expressions of a “culture of death” that is now spreading. He hopes the Resurrection may bring light and strength to national leaders so that economic and financial activity may finally be driven by the criteria of truth, justice and fraternal aid.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) – In his Easter message to the world, Benedict XVI expressed hope for peace, justice, respect for life and human rights, in places like the Holy Land, Pakistan, Latin America, Africa or anywhere people may suffer, enlightened by the news that “Easter is the true salvation of humanity! If Christ—the Lamb of God—had not poured out his blood for us, we would be without hope, our destiny and the destiny of the whole world would inevitably be death. But Easter has reversed that trend: Christ’s resurrection is a new creation, like a graft that can regenerate the whole plant.”

Despite the day’s rain, some 50,000 people came to St Peter’s Square to hear the Holy Father. More than a hundred TV networks broadcast the Papal Mass, his message Urbi et Orbi (to the City [of Rome] and to the World) as well as his greetings in 65 languages.

Easter, the Pope said, “is an event that has profoundly changed the course of history, tipping the scales once and for all on the side of good, of life, of pardon. We are free, we are saved!”

In the day that marks such an event, Benedict XVI spoke “to the leaders of nations”, expressing the wish that Easter may “bring light and strength, so that economic and financial activity may finally be driven by the criteria of truth, justice and fraternal aid. May the saving power of Christ’s resurrection fill all of humanity, so that it may overcome the multiple tragic expressions of a ‘culture of death’ which are becoming increasingly widespread, so as to build a future of love and truth in which every human life is respected and welcomed”.

“I pray to the Lord Jesus that in the Middle East,” he said; “especially in the land sanctified by his death and resurrection, the peoples will accomplish a true and definitive ‘exodus’ from war and violence to peace and concord. To the Christian communities who are experiencing trials and sufferings, especially in Iraq, the Risen Lord repeats those consoling and encouraging words that he addressed to the Apostles in the Upper Room: ‘Peace be with you! (Jn, 20:21)”

“For the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that are seeing a dangerous resurgence of crimes linked to drug trafficking, let Easter signal the victory of peaceful coexistence and respect for the common good. May the beloved people of Haiti, devastated by the appalling tragedy of the earthquake, accomplish their own ‘exodus’ from mourning and from despair to a new hope, supported by international solidarity. May the beloved citizens of Chile, who have had to endure another grave catastrophe, set about the task of reconstruction with tenacity, supported by their faith.”

“In the strength of the risen Jesus, may the conflicts in Africa come to an end, conflicts which continue to cause destruction and suffering, and may peace and reconciliation be attained, as guarantees of development. In particular I entrust to the Lord the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea and Nigeria.”

“May the Risen Lord sustain the Christians who suffer persecution and even death for their faith, as for example in Pakistan. To the countries afflicted by terrorism and by social and religious discrimination, may He grant the strength to undertake the work of building dialogue and serene coexistence. To the leaders of nations, may Easter bring light and strength, so that economic and financial activity may finally be driven by the criteria of truth, justice and fraternal aid. May the saving power of Christ’s resurrection fill all of humanity, so that it may overcome the multiple tragic expressions of a ‘culture of death’ which are becoming increasingly widespread, so as to build a future of love and truth in which every human life is respected and welcomed.”

“Easter does not work magic,” Benedict XVI explained. “Just as the Israelites found the desert awaiting them on the far side of the Red Sea, so the Church, after the resurrection, always finds history filled with joy and hope, grief and anguish. And yet, this history is changed, it is marked by a new and eternal covenant, it is truly open to the future.”

After the message, the Holy Father delivered Easter greetings in 65 languages, including Russian, Mongolian, Kazakh, Georgian, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Armenian, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali, Burmese, Urdu, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Sinhalese, Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian and Filipino.

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