Pope calls for end to Syria bloodshed in Easter message

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for an end to violence in Syria, as well as a renewed peace effort in the Middle East, in his annual Easter Mass message from the Vatican as Christians worldwide marked the holiday.“May the risen Christ grant hope to the Middle East and enable all the ethnic, cultural and religious groups in that region to work together to advance the common good and respect for human rights,” the pope said in his “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and to the World”) message in St. Peter’s Square.“Particularly in Syria, may there be an end to bloodshed and an immediate commitment to the path of respect, dialogue and reconciliation, as called for by the international community, he said. “May the many refugees from that country who are in need of humanitarian assistance find the acceptance and solidarity capable of relieving their dreadful sufferings.”The Iraqi people, he said, should be encouraged to “spare no effort in pursuing the path of stability and development. In the Holy Land, may Israelis and Palestinians courageously take up anew the peace process.”And the pope asked that “the risen Jesus comfort the suffering populations of the Horn of Africa and favor their reconciliation,” including Sudan and South Sudan, “and grant their inhabitants the power of forgiveness. In Mali, now experiencing delicate political developments, may the glorious Christ grant peace and stability. To Nigeria, which in recent times has experienced savage terrorist attacks, may the joy of Easter grant the strength needed to take up anew the building of a society which is peaceful and respectful of the religious freedom of all its citizens.”Shortly after the pope delivered his speech, the annual Easter sunrise service took place before a large crowd at Arlington National Cemetery in the United States.And New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow, known as much for his religious devotion as his plays on the football field, was expected to address a crowd of thousands at a Celebration Church event in Georgetown, Texas.