Pope Francis

Profits from Covid-19 jabs have helped at least nine people become billionaires, a campaign group said on Thursday, calling for an end to pharmaceutical corporations' "monopoly control" on vaccine technology, AFP reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 17 urged Pope Francis to help end what he called Israel's "massacre" of Palestinians, which should be punished with sanctions, his office has said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 17 urged Pope Francis to help end what he called Israel's "massacre" of Palestinians, which should be punished with sanctions, his office said.

Christianity's most joyous feast day was celebrated worldwide with faithful sitting far apart in pews and singing choruses of "Hallelujah" through face coverings on a second Easter Sunday conditioned by pandemic precautions.

Pope Francis, leading an Easter vigil service scaled down due to COVID-19, said on Saturday he hoped the dark times of the pandemic would end and that people could rediscover "the grace of everyday life".

Italy has entered a strict three-day lockdown to try to prevent a surge in Covid-19 cases over Easter.

All regions are now in the "red zone" - the highest tier of restrictions - as the country battles a third wave, with about 20,000 new cases a day.

Non-essential movement is banned, but people are allowed to share an Easter meal at home with two other adults.

Millions of Christians around the world prepared on April 3 to spend another Easter weekend under restrictions because of coronavirus surges, but there was good news from the hard-hit United States, which crossed the milestone of 100 million vaccinations.

In his Urbi et Orbi message delivered on Easter Day 2020, in the midst of a pandemic and with a Resurrection celebrated in churches without believers, Pope Francis said: "Today, the proclamation of the Church resounds throughout the world: "Jesus Christ is risen! - Truly He is risen!," writes Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Bucharest Aurel Perca in his Easter Pastoral Letter.

Catholic believers celebrate Palm Sunday, a day of reminiscent of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds carrying palm branches. "Traditionally, on Palm Sunday, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest organizes a procession on the streets of Bucharest, which this year, for the second time, cannot take place due to the pandemic.

Catholic faithful this weekend celebrate Palm Sunday, a feast that commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds that strewed palm branches before Him. "The traditional Palm Sunday procession organized by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest on the city streets had to be canceled for the second year in a row because of the pandemic.