International
The pope presided over the Vigil and remembered the peoples destroyed by evil and injustice
Pope Francis presided over the Mass of the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica this Saturday, after renouncing the Via Crucis of the Colosseum to take care of his health, and in the homily he asked “that despair be removed” for “the peoples destroyed by evil and beaten by injustice.”
In this long celebration of more than two hours, in which the wait for the resurrection of Jesus is commemorated, the pope participated in all the rites and read in a good voice, after this Friday he decided at the last minute not to go to the Colosseum for the Way of the Cross.
In the homily he referred to “that sometimes we feel that a tombstone has been placed heavily in the entrance of our heart, suffocating life, extinguishing trust, enclosing ourselves in the tomb of fears and bitterness.”
The pope called them the “pitfalls of death” and said that “they are all the experiences and situations that rob us of the enthusiasm and the strength to move forward.”
And among them he cited “the deaths of our loved ones, which leave in us voids impossible to fill; in failures,” “the walls of selfishness and indifference, which repel the commitment to build cities and societies more just and dignified for man” and “all the longings for peace broken by the cruelty of hatred and the ferocity of war.”
The pope then assured that “Jesus is our Easter, the one who makes us move from darkness to light, who has joined us forever and saves us from the abyss of sin and death, drawing us towards the luminous impetus of forgiveness and eternal life.
Francis then went to the “peoples destroyed by evil and beaten by injustice, landless peoples, martyr peoples” to move away “this night the singers of despair.”
The ceremony, one of the longest in the tradition and full of symbolism, began with the blessing of the fire in the atrium of the basilica and the lighting of the Easter candle. The pope marked the candle with the inscription of the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet – alpha and omega – that symbolize that God is the beginning and the end in a totally dark basilica.
Then the traditional procession took place with the entry of the concelebrants in total silence and in the dark and only with the candles lit to represent the absence of light after the death of Jesus Christ.
Only after the deacon pronounced the phrase ‘Lumen Christi’ (The light of Christ) three times did the lights of the basilica turn on and the mass began before 6,000 faithful.
This long ceremony follows the tradition of the first years of the Church, that of the catechumens, the adults who aspired to convert to Christianity and, therefore, the blessing of water was also celebrated, and Francis baptized eight adults of different nationalities: four Italians, two Koreans, one Japanese and an Albanian.
In this Vatican Holy Week, it has not been possible to enjoy the presence behind the altar of the imposing baldaquin of San Pedro by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, since it remains covered since a restoration is being carried out in view of next year’s Jubilee.
The pope decided this Friday at the last minute not to go to the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum to “safeguard his health” since in recent days he has been suffering from respiratory problems while both today’s ceremony and Sunday’s Resurrection Mass were confirmed.
International
WHO warns of increased disease outbreak risk in Venezuela amid low vaccination coverage
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks in Venezuela, including vaccine-preventable illnesses, due to low immunization coverage across the country.
“The vaccination coverage in Venezuela, particularly against measles and other diseases, was already low, so the risk of measles cases and other illnesses is currently high,” said Ciro Ugarte, director for emergencies at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO’s regional office.
Speaking during a video conference with journalists, Ugarte said the risk is especially high in shelters, where overcrowding could significantly accelerate the transmission of infectious diseases.
He also highlighted water quality as an additional concern in the aftermath of the disaster, noting that safe drinking water is not guaranteed in the most affected areas.
“Unfortunately, supply is scarce, making it very difficult to assess conditions in all shelters. That is why evaluating the quality of water provided to the population, especially in large shelters, is a priority,” he said during a briefing in Geneva.
Ugarte suggested that targeted vaccination campaigns could be deployed against mosquito-borne and other vector-transmitted diseases, particularly in overcrowded shelters and in areas where people remain displaced.
According to PAHO, eight health facilities have been assessed so far, all of which require assistance, with three reporting structural damage.
He also stressed that the José María Vargas Hospital, one of Caracas’s major public reference hospitals, requires urgent support due to critical conditions. The facility is currently treating 96 patients in an eight-bed unit, while its blood bank is operating at extremely low levels.
In La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital has reduced its capacity from 108 to 35 beds. Additionally, 22 other health centers have reported severe shortages, underscoring the strain on Venezuela’s healthcare system.
International
María Corina Machado’s attempted return to Venezuela reportedly halted amid US political concerns
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly pressured Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado and disrupted her planned return to Venezuela following recent earthquakes, amid concerns over a potential political crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that a private jet carrying Machado from the United States to Curaçao was ordered to turn back last week after U.S. officials concluded she intended to continue onward to Venezuelan territory, effectively reversing her earlier departure route from December.
The opposition figure had reportedly spent months preparing to re-enter Venezuela in an effort to renew pressure for new elections, following the detention of then-president Nicolás Maduro under an order issued by Trump. The U.S. president has since stated that Washington’s relationship with Venezuela’s acting leadership, headed by Delcy Rodríguez, is “excellent.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, intermediaries close to the White House warned Machado that proceeding with her return plan could jeopardize her support from Trump and undermine broader U.S. strategy toward Venezuela, potentially delaying electoral plans.
Despite these warnings, Machado reportedly attempted a second route back through Panama. However, Copa Airlines declined to transport her to Venezuela, citing concerns over possible retaliation from Caracas against the airline, according to unnamed sources.
From Panama City, Machado stated on Monday that the Venezuelan government had closed commercial airspace to prevent her return, calling it “urgent” to go back to the country to “face this catastrophe together,” without addressing reports of U.S. pressure.
Axios reported that Trump administration officials viewed Machado’s attempted return as “grotesque political opportunism” in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that have left at least 2,595 people dead and thousands injured, while also delaying reconstruction efforts and potential electoral processes.
Since Maduro’s detention on January 3, President Trump has reportedly expressed support for Rodríguez, the former vice president, who has agreed to trade, mining, and oil agreements demanded by Washington. Trump has described Venezuela as effectively operating under U.S. oversight and has claimed the country is improving economically through increased oil production and exports.
Venezuelan opposition groups based in the United States have urged the Trump administration to reconsider its relationship with Rodríguez and criticized Washington’s stated satisfaction with reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.
International
Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave
Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.
The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.
Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.
Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.
“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.
Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.
The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.
One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.
Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.
Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.
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