:00:18. > :00:23.Good morning. It's a sparkling spring day here in Rome, a chill
:00:24. > :00:31.wind blowing down from the snow- covered mountains, but the sun is
:00:31. > :00:37.filling the vast piazza of St Peter's and warming the crowd,
:00:37. > :00:43.sparkling on the fountains and on the Swiss Guards. We're waiting for
:00:43. > :00:48.the Pope to appear on the balcony of St Peter's. The lodger hung
:00:48. > :00:53.above the piazza, above the open- air altar where he'll be saying
:00:53. > :00:56.mass this morning. A group of pilgrims, perhaps a thousand strong,
:00:56. > :01:01.from all over the world. We have been told that the Pope is resting
:01:01. > :01:05.for a few minutes - for ten minutes or so - between the mass and his
:01:05. > :01:10.appearance on the balcony, and this is a departure from normal
:01:10. > :01:17.practising and perhaps shows that he is beginning to feel his age
:01:17. > :01:21.just a little, and well he might. He turns 85 on the 16th of April
:01:21. > :01:26.and will become the oldest Pope in over a hundred years. In spite of
:01:26. > :01:29.his age, he has been setting an impressive pace, which would have
:01:29. > :01:35.exhausted many a younger man. APPLAUSE
:01:35. > :01:40.He returns only ten days ago from a trip to Latin America, where he
:01:40. > :01:48.spoke to vast crowds in Mexico and Cuba.
:01:48. > :01:52.APPLAUSE And now here he is on the balcony
:01:52. > :01:56.accompanied by his Master of Ceremonies and his attendant
:01:57. > :02:03.partners. MUSIC
:02:03. > :02:13.And greeted by the Bands of the Swiss Guards and the Italian Armed
:02:13. > :02:42.
:02:42. > :02:47.The Swiss Guard is answered by the Italian Armed Forces Band, again,
:02:47. > :02:55.playing a verse of the Papal anthem, saluting the Pope not just as
:02:55. > :02:59.leader of the world's billion Catholics, but as head of state of
:02:59. > :03:09.the Vatican City, state, the world's smallest state.
:03:09. > :03:18.
:03:19. > :03:23.Pope Benedict XVI, vicar of Christ, successor of the Prince of the
:03:23. > :03:28.Apostles, supreme pontiff of the universal church, Primate of Italy,
:03:28. > :03:38.sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, servant of the
:03:38. > :03:55.
:03:55. > :04:05.The Pope begins his Easter homily with a quote from an ancient Latin
:04:05. > :04:07.
:04:07. > :04:10.hymn, "Christ, my hope, has risen. May the jubilant voice of the
:04:10. > :04:13.church reach all of you with the words which the ancient hymn puts
:04:13. > :04:22.on the lips of Mary Magdalene, the first to encounter the risen Jesus
:04:22. > :04:26.We too, who have journeyed through and the sorrowful days of the
:04:26. > :04:29.today raise the cry of victory, "He has risen! He has truly risen!"
:04:29. > :04:35.Every Christian relives the experience of Mary Magdalene.
:04:35. > :04:39.It involves an encounter which changes our lives -
:04:39. > :04:42.the encounter with a unique Man
:04:42. > :04:46.who lets us experience all God's goodness and truth,
:04:46. > :04:52.who frees us from evil not in a superficial and fleeting way,
:04:52. > :05:01.but sets us free radically, heals uscompletely and restores our dignity.
:05:01. > :05:06.This is why Mary Magdalene calls Jesus "my hope" -
:05:06. > :05:11.he was the one who allowed her to be reborn, who gave her a new future,
:05:11. > :05:16.a life of goodness and freedom from evil.
:05:16. > :05:21."Christ my hope" means that all my yearnings for goodness
:05:21. > :05:25.find in him a real possibility of fulfilment,
:05:25. > :05:32.with him I can hope for a life that is good, full and eternal,
:05:32. > :05:41.for God himself has drawn near to us, even sharing our humanity.
:05:41. > :05:45.But Mary Magdalene, like the other disciples,
:05:45. > :05:49.was to see Jesus rejected by the leaders of the people,
:05:49. > :05:57.arrested, scourged, condemned to death and crucified.
:05:57. > :06:01.It must have been unbearable to see Goodness in person
:06:01. > :06:07.subjected to human malice, truth derided by falsehood,
:06:08. > :06:16.mercy abused by vengeance. With Jesus' death,
:06:16. > :06:23.the hope of all those who had put their trust in him seemed doomed.
:06:23. > :06:26.But that faith never completely failed,
:06:26. > :06:33.especially in the heart of the Virgin Mary, Jesus' Mother,
:06:33. > :06:40.its flame burned even in the dark of night.
:06:40. > :06:50.In this world, hope can not avoid confronting the harshness of evil.
:06:50. > :06:53.
:06:53. > :06:57.It is not thwarted by the wall of death alone,
:06:57. > :07:03.but even more by the barbs of envy and pride, falsehood and violence.
:07:03. > :07:07.Jesus passed through this mortal mesh
:07:07. > :07:12.in order to open a path to the kingdom of life.
:07:12. > :07:17.For a moment Jesus seemed vanquished -
:07:17. > :07:23.darkness had invaded the land, the silence of God was complete,
:07:23. > :07:28.hope a seemingly empty word.
:07:28. > :07:38.And lo, on the dawn of the day afterthe Sabbath, the tomb is found empty.
:07:38. > :07:38.
:07:38. > :07:44.Jesus then shows himself to Mary Magdalene, to the other women,
:07:44. > :07:53.to his disciples. Faith is born anew, more alive and strong than ever,
:07:53. > :07:59.now invincible since it is based on a decisive experience -
:07:59. > :08:04."Death with life contended, combat strangely ended!
:08:04. > :08:12.Life's own champion, slain, now lives to reign".
:08:12. > :08:16.The signs of the resurrection testify
:08:16. > :08:19.to the victory of life over death, love over hatred,
:08:19. > :08:23.mercy over vengeance. "The tomb the living did enclose,
:08:23. > :08:28."I saw Christ's glory as he rose!
:08:28. > :08:34."The angels there attesting, shroud with grave-clothes resting".
:08:34. > :08:39.Dear brothers and sisters! If Jesus is risen, then - and only then -
:08:39. > :08:42.has something truly new happened,
:08:42. > :08:46.something that changes the state of humanity and the world.
:08:46. > :08:52.Then he, Jesus, is someone in whom we can put absolute trust;
:08:52. > :08:57.we can put our trust not only in his message but in Jesus himself,
:08:57. > :09:00.for the Risen One does not belong to the past,
:09:01. > :09:07.but is present today, alive.
:09:07. > :09:13.Christ is hope and comfort in a particular way
:09:13. > :09:18.for those Christian communities suffering most for their faith
:09:18. > :09:22.on account of discrimination and persecution.
:09:22. > :09:26.And he is present as a force of hope through his Church,
:09:26. > :09:30.which is close to all human situations
:09:30. > :09:36.of suffering and injustice.
:09:36. > :09:41.May the risen Christ grant hope to the Middle East
:09:41. > :09:45.and enable all the ethnic, cultural and religious groups in that region
:09:45. > :09:48.to work together to advance the common good
:09:48. > :09:53.and respect for human rights.
:09:53. > :09:57.Particularly in Syria, may there be an end to bloodshed
:09:57. > :10:01.and an immediate commitment to the path of respect,
:10:01. > :10:04.dialogue and reconciliation,
:10:04. > :10:11.as called for by the international community.
:10:11. > :10:14.May the many refugees from that country
:10:14. > :10:18.who are in need of humanitarian assistance
:10:18. > :10:21.find the acceptance and solidarity
:10:21. > :10:30.capable of relieving their dreadful sufferings.
:10:30. > :10:34.May the paschal victory encourage the Iraqi people
:10:34. > :10:41.to spare no effort in pursuing the path of stability and development.
:10:41. > :10:46.In the Holy Land, may Israelis and Palestinians
:10:46. > :10:55.courageously take up anew the peace process.
:10:55. > :10:59.May the Lord, the victor over evil and death,
:10:59. > :11:04.sustain the Christian communities of the African continent;
:11:04. > :11:07.may he grant them hope in facing their difficulties,
:11:07. > :11:11.and make them peacemakers and agents of development
:11:11. > :11:17.in the societies to which they belong.
:11:17. > :11:21.May the risen Jesus comfort the suffering populations
:11:21. > :11:26.of the Horn of Africa and favour their reconciliation;
:11:26. > :11:31.may he help the Great Lakes Region, Sudan and South Sudan,
:11:31. > :11:37.and grant their inhabitants the power of forgiveness.
:11:37. > :11:41.In Mali, now experiencing delicate political developments,
:11:41. > :11:46.may the glorious Christ grant peace and stability.
:11:46. > :11:49.To Nigeria, which in recent times
:11:49. > :11:54.has experienced savage terrorist attacks,
:11:54. > :11:58.may the joy of Easter grant the strength needed
:11:58. > :12:03.to take up anew the building of a society
:12:03. > :12:06.which is peaceful and respectful of
:12:06. > :12:11.the religious freedom of its citizens.
:12:11. > :12:21.Happy Easter to all!
:12:21. > :12:32.
:12:32. > :12:32.The
:12:32. > :12:33.The Pope
:12:33. > :12:37.The Pope is
:12:37. > :12:43.The Pope is now going to give his Easter greetings in many languages.
:12:43. > :12:48.This broadcast is going out to 60 countries around the world, and he
:12:48. > :12:52.begins in Italian. A recent survey shows the Church is facing
:12:52. > :12:55.fascinating, complex challenges in Italy with a sharp decline in
:12:55. > :12:59.religious belief and observance, but at the same time, a short
:12:59. > :13:08.increase in the need for prayer and attendance at pilgrimages and
:13:08. > :13:11.events like this. But he urges the people of Italy to
:13:11. > :13:17.cherish in their hearts the radiance of peace and love that
:13:17. > :13:27.comes from the risen Christ and which give s strength to every work
:13:27. > :13:52.
:13:52. > :14:02.A very warm greeting to this German Pope from pilgrims from German-
:14:02. > :14:10.
:14:10. > :14:13.speaking lands. Now he's giving Easter greetings in
:14:13. > :14:23.Spanish and then in Portuguese. It's worth remembering that over
:14:23. > :14:23.
:14:23. > :14:27.half the world's Catholics are now The Pope is now thanking the people
:14:27. > :14:37.of the Netherlands for the flowers which they have sent and which
:14:37. > :15:01.
:15:01. > :15:07.Now a number of Slovic languages, including Polish. It was in this
:15:07. > :15:17.square just under a year ago, of course, he beatifyed his prod
:15:17. > :15:22.
:15:22. > :15:29.sensor, John Paul II, the Polish A number of Balkan languages. The
:15:29. > :15:35.Pope was in Croatia last summer praying at the tomb of the
:15:35. > :15:45.Archbishop of Zagreb, who was imprisoned for many years by the
:15:45. > :16:08.
:16:08. > :16:18.Moving from Russia and the Ukraine towards the Baltic and Scandinavian
:16:18. > :16:41.
:16:41. > :16:51.It's a greeting in Maltese. Worth mentioning that one of the recently
:16:51. > :17:12.
:17:12. > :17:22.appointed cardinals is a Now moving from the Middle East to
:17:22. > :17:29.
:17:29. > :17:36.Africa, greetings in Swahili. And Malagasi. The Pope was in Benin
:17:36. > :17:46.last year, marking the 151st mission there. He has often said he
:17:46. > :18:12.
:18:12. > :18:16.regards Africa as the great hope Chinese - another of the Cardinals
:18:16. > :18:26.is the Bishop of Hong Kong, one of the most respected Catholic figures
:18:26. > :18:52.
:18:52. > :19:01.Filipino - APPLAUSE
:19:01. > :19:11.A delighted response from the speakers in the piazza, the
:19:11. > :19:22.
:19:22. > :19:26.Philippines, the Catholics' largest The Pope ends with Guarani, an
:19:26. > :19:35.indigenous language of the Amazon basin.
:19:35. > :19:45.APPLAUSE And the moment of the Urbi Et Orbi
:19:45. > :20:00.
:20:00. > :20:10.Urbi Et Orbi, that is "to the city, the City of Rome," and to the whole
:20:10. > :20:14.
:20:14. > :20:23.He's assisted by Cardinal John Louis Taron from France, a man with
:20:23. > :20:31.a distinguished diplomatic career. He's now in charge of inter-
:20:31. > :20:41.religious dialogue at the Vatican, and he's praying that almighty God
:20:41. > :20:51.may grant the Pope many years as leader of the Church. The Pope now
:20:51. > :20:51.
:20:51. > :21:01.calls on the Apostles Peter and Paul and the Virgin Mary and all
:21:01. > :21:30.
:21:30. > :21:37.the Saints to pray for the Church May the almighty ands merciful Lord
:21:37. > :21:45.grant you and soleucence and abolition of all of your sins,
:21:45. > :21:55.fruitful penance and a grateful heart.
:21:55. > :22:20.
:22:20. > :22:27.And perseverance in all good works. Amen. May the blessing of almighty
:22:27. > :22:35.God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit come down on you and remain with
:22:35. > :22:41.you forever, the blessing Urbi Et Orbi given by Pope Benedict XVI to
:22:41. > :22:43.an enthusiastic group of pilgrims in the piazza in front of St
:22:43. > :22:53.Peter's and to people throughout the world.
:22:53. > :23:06.
:23:06. > :23:12.And as the Pope stressed earlier, his greetings go out not only to
:23:12. > :23:16.Catholics, but to Christian bleevers everywhere, and indeed --
:23:16. > :23:23.believers everywhere and indeed to all people of goodWill because he
:23:23. > :23:33.believes ultimately that all goodness comes from God, the God
:23:33. > :23:36.
:23:36. > :23:41.revealed in the risen Christ at Pope Benedict's message this
:23:41. > :23:47.morning, as always, is one of hope, springing from the Easter story,
:23:47. > :23:53.hope both for individuals to find joy in their own lives, hope also
:23:53. > :24:01.for a genuinely free society, for justice and peace among nations,
:24:01. > :24:05.for religious tolerance and respect for human rights. The Pope has made
:24:05. > :24:11.a passionate appeal this morning to the peoples of the Middle East to
:24:11. > :24:17.come together across all boundaries of ethnicity and faith to work for
:24:17. > :24:22.peace, above all, in Syria, but also in Iraq and in the Holy Land,
:24:22. > :24:29.a term which embraces Israel and the Palestinian territories.
:24:29. > :24:32.APPLAUSE He has also addressed in particular
:24:32. > :24:36.the hunger for peace and development in the African
:24:36. > :24:46.continent and has urged Christians to work for justice and human
:24:46. > :24:58.
:24:58. > :25:04.rights throughout the world. Pope Benedict is - he's not a
:25:04. > :25:09.natural public figure like John Paul II, the actor who knew how to
:25:09. > :25:14.play the crowd. He's essentially a private man, a scholar, a man of
:25:14. > :25:18.prayer, who enjoys nothing more than an evening at home playing
:25:18. > :25:26.Mozart on the piano and probably writing a book of theology. When he
:25:26. > :25:31.was 70 he asked the then-Pope John Paul II to retire and take up quiet
:25:31. > :25:37.work in the Vatican library. The Pope refused him, kept him on as
:25:37. > :25:47.Cardinal and then ultimately he found himself succeeding his great
:25:47. > :25:52.
:25:53. > :25:57.friend as Pope. He said that he was overwhelmed by the election - a
:25:57. > :26:07.feeling of unworthiness, and a need for the prayers of the whole Church
:26:07. > :26:11.
:26:11. > :26:16.At heart, in spite of all the grandeur of Rome, his message is a
:26:16. > :26:21.simple one - as he urged a rally of young people the other day:
:26:21. > :26:26."Happiness comes from recognising real joy in the simplest events of
:26:26. > :26:31.daily life." He says, "Our present day culture often pressures us to
:26:31. > :26:36.seek immediate goals and satisfactions. It promotes a
:26:37. > :26:43.consumerist mentality and a promise of false happiness. In contrast,
:26:43. > :26:49.each day can be filled with countless simple joys which are the
:26:49. > :26:57.Lord's gift, the joy of living, of seeing nature's beauty, of a job
:26:57. > :27:02.well done, the joy of helping others, of sincere and pure love.
:27:02. > :27:12.Whatever brings joy, whether the small joys of each day or the
:27:12. > :27:13.
:27:13. > :27:17.greatest joys in life, this has its ultimate source in God because God