Pope Sends Easter Message of Peace

V A T I C A N  C I T Y, April 15 -- In his Easter message to the world, Pope John Paul urged humanity to achieve peace and see to it that technological progress serves everyone.

The Pope, who turns 81 next month, included a special pleafor peace in the Middle East during his twice-yearly "Urbi etOrbi" (To the city and the world) message and blessing beforetens of thousands of people in a sunny St Peter's Square.

Squinting in the sun, he also wished the world a happyEaster in 61 languages, including some spoken in the world'strouble spots such as Hebrew, Arabic, Albanian, Serbian,Macedonian, Tamil and Indonesian.

The Pope wore resplendent cream and gold vestments andappeared tired and drawn at times during the two-hour ceremony.His voice alternated from trembling and cracking at times tofirm and clear at others.

He lost his balance for a second while walking down steps atthe start of the ceremony and had to be supported by aides.

Celebrating the 23rd Easter season of his history-makingpontificate and the first of the Third Millennium, the Pontiffwove his message between the religious and the worldly.

"Men and women of the Third Millennium, the Easter gift oflight that scatters the darkness of fear and sadness is meantfor everyone," he said, reading his message from the outsidesteps of St Peter's Basilica after saying mass.

The square was decked out with 17,000 yellow, orange, whiteand blue flowers imported from the Netherlands and 300 plantsand trees.

Break Chains of Violence, Hatred

"All are offered the gift of the peace of the Risen Christ,who breaks the chains of violence and hatred," he said in themessage, which was televised live to 47 countries."

"Rediscover today with joy and wonder that the world is nolonger a slave to the inevitable. This world of ours can change:Peace is possible even where for too long there has beenfighting and death, as in the Holy Land and Jerusalem," he said.

The solemn ceremony in the square before Christendom'slargest church was accompanied by a welcome change in theweather, which had forced the Easter Eve ceremony to be movedindoors on Saturday night.