Pope Francis’ Easter message: "With Christ, Everything Begins Again"

In his Easter Sunday message, read by Cardinal Angelo Comastri at Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis called on the faithful to seek the living Christ beyond the tomb and to carry the message of hope and newness into every corner of daily life.

Reflecting on the Gospel account of Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John running to the empty tomb, the Holy Father underscored that their haste was not merely out of fear or confusion, but born from a deep yearning to encounter the risen Lord.

“This is the message of Easter,” the pope affirmed. “We must look for Him elsewhere. Christ is risen, He is alive!”

He stressed that the Resurrection is not a distant story of the past or a relic of religious tradition. Instead, it is a living reality that demands believers to act, to move, and to search for Jesus in everyday encounters—with the suffering, the poor, and in simple acts of love.

“Easter spurs us to action,” Pope Francis said. “It invites us to have eyes that can ‘see beyond’—to perceive Jesus as the God who reveals himself, surprises us, and remains present today.”

In his message, the pope cautioned against settling for superficial religious comfort. Instead, he encouraged the faithful to rediscover the dynamic power of the Resurrection and embrace the “eternal newness” of Christ. 

He reminded listeners that the Christian faith is centered not on rituals alone, but on the person of Jesus Christ: “Christianity is Christ. In Him, we have everything.”

As the Church journeys toward the Jubilee Year, the Holy Father calls on believers to revive the gift of hope and entrust the future, both personal and global, to the risen Christ.

“With you, O Lord, everything is new. With you, everything begins again,” Pope Francis declared, ending his message with a prayer for renewal: “Cleanse us, O God, from the sad dust of habit, tiredness, and indifference. Give us the joy of waking every morning with wonder.”

In a world marked by war, suffering, and uncertainty, the pope’s Easter message rings clear: the tomb is empty, Christ is alive, and in Him, life and hope begin anew.