Pope appeals to Russians on Ukraine, decries Middle East violence, hopes Rohingya people see justice in Easter message

Pope Francis bestows the plenary 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the city and to the world) blessing from the central lodge of the St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican at the end of the Easter Sunday mass, on Sunday, April 9, 2023. - AP

VATICAN CITY, April 9 (Reuters): Pope Francis appeared to ask Russians to seek the truth about their country's invasion of Ukraine in his Easter message to the world on Sunday and appealed for dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians following recent violence.

Francis, 86, presided at a solemn Easter day Mass in a sunny St. Peter's Square after unseasonal cold forced him to skip an outdoor service on Friday - a precaution following his hospitalisation for bronchitis at the end of March.