Pope Francis condemned the many "stumbling blocks" to world peace in his traditional Easter message. He expressed his "deep concern" because of the attacks of recent days in the Middle East.
The 86-year-old pope, hospitalized last week for bronchitis, had presided for two and a half hours the Mass of the Easter Vigil in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, in the presence of about 8,000 people. On Saturday evening, he had presided over Easter Mass under a bright sun before treating himself to a long crowd bath.