Pope condemns mistrust, pursuit of money and career

(Patria) - Pope Francis, together with cardinals, numerous bishops and priests, deacons, and gathered faithful, led the Easter Vigil and baptized eight catechumens on Holy Saturday, April 20, in the Vatican Basilica.

After the proclamation of the joyful news of Christ's resurrection, which this year the liturgy took from the Gospel of Luke, the Holy Father reminded in his sermon that Easter is a celebration of hope, a transition from confinement to community, from despair to comfort, from fear to trust. On Easter, God removed the greatest stones that extinguish our hope – death, sin, fear, and worldliness. Every Christian must ask themselves which stone stands in their way to God.

The Pope condemned mistrust and dissatisfaction, as well as the pursuit of money, career, and pride. At the same time, he encouraged all people: The Lord loves your life even when you yourself are afraid to face it and take it into your hands. The Pope said that Jesus should be placed at the center, so that faith does not remain an exhibition rather than an Easter faith. Jesus is not a person from history books; it is about encountering Him in one's own life. We seek Him in everything and above all; with Him, we will be resurrected, said Pope Francis.

At the beginning of the multi-hour liturgy, the Pope blessed the fire in the vestibule of the basilica, from which the Easter candle, a symbol of Jesus' resurrection, was lit, and then led a long procession of cardinals and bishops into the basilica, which gradually lit up. On Easter night, the Pope baptized eight catechumens from five countries – Italy, Albania, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Peru, who had been preparing to receive the sacrament in the Diocese of Rome, reports Vatican News.