Vatican CITY – The second Easter in a time of pandemic. Pope francesco presides over Easter Mass at the Altar of the Chair in the Vatican Basilica. Four bishops and twenty-four cardinals concelebrate. The number of faithful is always limited and strictly in mask in compliance with anti Covid rules. Among the cardinals also the new archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Franciscan Mauro Gambetti who will announce the granting of the indulgence before the Urbi et Orbi blessing by the Pope
Even the Pope’s routine has been influenced in recent months by Covid. He lived in retreat in Santa Marta, with few outings and one international trip, to Iraq last month. In his words yesterday, during the Easter vigil, the echo of these difficult months but with reasons for hope: “Here is the first Easter announcement that I would like to deliver to you – he said -: it is possible to start over again, because there is a new life that God is capable of making us restart beyond all our failures ”. And again: “Even from the rubble of our heart God can build a work of art, even from the ruinous fragments of our humanity God prepares a new history”.
The Pope urged “never to lose hope”. The celebration was brought forward to 7.30 pm to allow participants to respect the curfew and without the preparation of the Easter candle. Together, the baptisms did not take place but only the renewal of the baptismal promises, preceded by the blessing of the lustral water. Starting over, the Pope said, means “following new paths”. God, he said, “opens up new paths where it seems to you that they do not exist, pushes you to go against the tide of regret and the ‘already seen’. Even if everything seems lost to you, open up with amazement to its novelty: it will surprise you ”. The way is “overcoming barriers, overcoming prejudices, approaching those around us every day, to rediscover the grace of everyday life”.
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