Vatican: Good Friday Mass draws attention to poverty and injustice in the world

VATICAN, (Patria) – The Good Friday Mass is one of the few in the year when the Pope does not deliver a sermon.

Pope Francis listened to Father Raniero Cantalamessa as he spoke of Christ as the 'example and representative of all the rejected and excluded on earth, those from whom we turn our heads so as not to see them'.

Cantalamessa stressed that all religions have a duty to advocate for the poor.

'A few privileged people possess more than they can ever spend, while for centuries, endless masses of poor people live without a piece of bread or a sip of water they can give to their children,' Cantalamessa stated.

'No religion should be indifferent to this, because the God of all religions is not indifferent to it,' he said.

On Friday evening, Pope Francis will lead the Via Crucis procession around the Roman Colosseum, marking the beginning of his seventh Easter as head of the Catholic Church.

The Pope will lead the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday evening, and Easter Sunday will be marked by the traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' message.