By Courtney Mares
Vatican City, Apr 19, 2025 / 15:15 pm
Candlelight illuminated St. Peter’s Basilica during the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday where Pope Francis’ homily, read on his behalf, proclaimed the resurrection of Christ as “the definitive turning point in human history.”
“It falls to us to proclaim this Easter hope, this ‘turning point’ where darkness becomes light,” the pope wrote in the homily, delivered by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.
“The risen Christ … is the hope that does not fade. He is the love that accompanies us and sustains us,” he said. “He is the future of history, the ultimate destination towards which we walk, to be welcomed into that new life in which the Lord himself will wipe away all our tears and ‘death, mourning and crying and pain will be no more.’”
Although Pope Francis did not preside at the liturgy due to his ongoing recovery from a recent hospitalization for double pneumonia, he made a surprise appearance in the basilica about two hours before the Mass. He paused to pray and greeted some of the pilgrims who had been waiting for hours for the Easter Mass at the Vatican.
The pope, who has delegated cardinals to preside over all Holy Week events, entrusted the Easter Vigil to Cardinal Re.
The Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica was a breathtaking ceremony filled with symbolism and tradition. The Mass began with the blessing of the new fire, the lighting of the Paschal Candle, and the beautiful singing of the Exsultet hymn, which recounts the story of salvation from the beginning of time to Christ’s resurrection.
A solemn procession of thirty-four cardinals, 24 bishops, and around 250 priests carrying lit candles moved through the dark basilica, symbolizing the triumph of Christ’s light over darkness.
As the liturgy progressed, the basilica gradually filled with light, culminating in the joyous ringing of bells and the unveiling of the altar adorned with Easter flowers during the Gloria.
Amidst the celebration, three individuals from Italy and Albania were baptized, while the congregation joined in prayer and renewed their baptismal vows during the recitation of the Litany of the Saints.
Pope Francis, in his message to the faithful, emphasized the significance of the risen Jesus as a beacon of hope, guiding us through the darkness and assuring us of God’s unfailing love and protection.
Reflecting on the Easter season, the Pope encouraged believers to allow the hope of Easter to blossom in their lives, even in times of despair or uncertainty.
As we face the challenges of life, Pope Francis reminds us to hold on to the hope and promise of Easter, knowing that God’s love and grace will always prevail, even in the darkest of times.
