Pope Francis presided at Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square on March 24; there was no homily. Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches, was the principal celebrant.
At the conclusion of the Mass, Pope Francis delivered a brief address and led the recitation of the Angelus.
During his address, the Pope prayed for victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow, as well as for “tormented Ukraine, where so many people find themselves without electricity because of the intense attacks against infrastructure.”
“Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble and peaceful king; let us open our hearts to Him,” the Pope added. “Only He can free us from wickedness, hatred, and violence, because He is mercy and the forgiveness of sins … [M]ay we learn from her [the Blessed Virgin Mary] how to stay close to Jesus in the days of Holy Week, so as to arrive at the joy of the Resurrection.”