Watch 2016 Easter Mass From The Vatican Live Online: Streaming Video, Full Replay Of Pope Francis Saying Holy Mass At Easter Day
Viewers can watch the 2016 Easter Mass live from the Vatican and see streaming video of Pope Francis deliver his message of hope and peace to the world.
The annual celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ will be available to viewers around the world, with the Vatican offering live streaming video as Pope Francis leads Easter Mass. The video can be found below, with the service starting at 4:15 a.m. ET.
Pope Francis has made headlines this week with his outreach to other faiths. This week he washed the feet of Muslim, Christian, and Hindu refugees in what he called “a gesture of brotherhood.” The annual rite re-enacts the actions of Jesus Christ when he washed the feet of his apostles in the week before his death, The Independent noted.
The message came as Pope Francis denounced the terrorist attack in Brussels, which he called a “gesture of war.”
VIDEO: Pope urges hope after Brussels attacks https://t.co/DwUFvT2ADo
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 27, 2016
WATCH: On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of Muslim, Orthodox, Hindu and Catholic refugees. https://t.co/NTo8qUGm0a
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) March 25, 2016
As The Independent noted, the timing of his act after the Muslim attacks made for a very moving ceremony.
“The Pontiff contrasted that gesture with the ‘gesture of destruction’ carried out by the Brussels attackers, saying they wanted to destroy the brotherhood of humanity represented by the migrants.
“‘We have different cultures and religions, but we are brothers and we want to live in peace,’ he said.
“Several of the migrants wept as Francis knelt before them, poured holy water on their feet, wiped them clean and kissed them.”
The ceremony included Catholics from Nigeria, Muslims from Mali, Syria, and Pakistan, and a Hindu from India, The Independent noted.
“All of us, together: Muslims, Hindi, Catholics, Copts, Evangelicals. But brothers, children of the same God,” the Pope said.
Pope Francis is known for his outreach beyond the Catholic community, as he often makes gestures to others faiths and even to those with no faith. He has also been open to the gay community, including defending gays when asked a rhetorical question about a so-called “gay lobby” at the Vatican.
“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Francis answered, via CNN.
If the messages from Pope Francis this week are any indication, then those who watch the 2016 Easter Mass from the Vatican live online will see a message of hope at a time of great uncertainty in Europe. In his Easter vigil service from St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis said that terrorism must not be able to drown out hope and “imprison” the world.
In his homily, Pope Francis said that Easter brings a time to break free of such fears and celebrate hope instead.
“We see and will continue to see problems both inside and out. They will always be there,” he said, via the Associated Press. “Let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control our hearts.”
“Today is the celebration of our hope,” he said. “It is so necessary today.”
Pope Francis also spoke out against terrorism at Friday’s “Way of the Cross” procession, which honors the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. At the ceremony, Pope Francis spoke out against “terrorist acts committed by followers of some religions which profane the name of God and which use the holy name to justify their unprecedented violence.”
Those not able to make it for the early morning Easter Mass at the Vatican live stream can watch the full replay of Pope Francis’ mass from the Vatican at the embedded video above.
[Picture by Franco Origilia/Getty Images]
