The Pope URBI ET ORBI To The World

In the “Urbi ed Orbi” message, Benedict XVI recalls the pains and troubles which afflict today’s world to urge humanity to rediscover the true face of God, which is love for mankind.

Vatican City War, famine and disasters : faced with all these troubles which still afflict the world today, particularly in Asia and Africa, humanity needs to rediscover the “true face of God”. The face of that God who took on all of man’s suffering and who on the first day of Easter appeared to the apostles renewing their faith, making them the bearers of Good News to all the world.

Pope Benedict XVI delivered his “Urbi et Orbi” message to over 100 thousand people present in St Peter’s square, remembering the crucifixion and resurrection and evoking the open wounds and pain of today’s world.

From famine to disease, from the disaster which recently hit the Solomon Islands, to the conflicts and tensions existent in many parts of the globe. Darfur, Congo, Somalia and Zimbabwe in Africa. In Asia he underscored Sri Lanka, “where a negotiated solution could put an end to the dramatic conflict which bloodies it”, and Afghanistan, “signed by increasing instability and unrest”. In the Middle East he spoke of “signs of hope” in dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, while “nothing positive, unfortunately seems to be forthcoming in Iraq”. And suffering Lebanon, threatened by the current political crises.

A small thought finally for the difficulties faced on a daily basis by the Christian Communities and their constant exodus from the Holy Land which is the cradle of our faith”.

At the end of his address, Benedict XVI sent out a message of “hope, fraternity and peace , which each year on this Holy Day is renewed” in over 62 languages. Among those Mongol, Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengalese, Burmese, Urdu, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Singhalese, Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian and Philippine.