"All too often, these brothers and sisters of ours meet along the way with death or, in any event, rejection by those who could offer them welcome and assistance," said the pontiff on Easter Sunday.

Pope Francis urge people to offer "welcome and assistance" to those fleeing war and poverty, as Europe struggles with its worst migration crisis since World War II.

The European Union and Turkey struck a deal earlier in March to send new migrants arriving on the Greek islands to Turkey.

On Good Friday, the pope decried what he called as Europe's "indifferent and anaesthetized conscience" over migrants.

"The Easter message of the risen Christ... invites us not to forget those men and women seeking a better future, an ever more numerous throng of migrants and refugees... fleeing from war, hunger, poverty and social injustice," the pope said.

Human rights groups have condemned the EU-Turkey deal as unethical and possibly illegal.

In his Easter address, the pontiff also called on people to remember the victims of terrorism, which he called "blind and brutal violence" that continues to shed innocent blood in Belgium, Turkey, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast and Iraq.

"Before the spiritual and moral abysses of mankind, before the chasms that open up in hearts and provoke hatred and death, only an infinite mercy can bring us salvation," said Pope Francis.

Sources

AFP/Yahoo News
The Telegraph
BBC
Image: The Telegraph

A proposed law change - the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill - would let local councils pass bylaws allowing shops in their area to open on Easter Sunday.

Caritas's Lisa Beech said Easter Sunday trading would affect community events.

She also questioned the effectiveness of protection of worker's rights to refuse to work on Easter Sunday stated in the bill.

Caritas director Julianne Hickey invited select committee members to convene on Easter Sunday to experience what working on that day would feel like.

She said Caritas members would make themselves available for such a meeting.

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Picking up from the darkened surrounds, the Pontiff wove his homily around the theme of darkness and light.

"Life is stronger than death. Good is stronger than evil. Love is stronger than hate. Truth is stronger than lies," Benedict told the faithful in a packed St. Peter's Basilica.

Repeating one of the central themes of his pontificate, Benedict said humanity was too often in awe of technology instead of being in awe of God.

"Today we can illuminate our cities so brightly that the stars of the sky are no longer visible. Is this not an image of the problems caused by our version of enlightenment?"

"The darkness that poses a real threat to mankind, after all, is the fact that he can see and investigate tangible material things, but cannot see where the world is going or whence it comes, where our own life is going, what is good and what is evil."

On Easter Sunday the Pope focused his attention on Syria and the suffering of Syrians.

Recently returned from a visit to Mexico and Cuba, a tired-looking Benedict struggled with hoarseness as he led the crowd.

"May the risen Christ grant hope to the Middle East and enable all the ethnic, cultural and religious groups in that region to work together to advance the common good and respect for human rights," the pope said.

"Particularly in Syria, may there be an end to bloodshed and an immediate commitment to the path of respect, dialogue and reconciliation, as called for by the international community," Benedict said, making Syria the first of several strife-torn countries he mentioned in his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" (Latin for "to the city and to the world") Easter speech.

The Syrian government on Sunday appeared to be backing out of a cease-fire deal aimed at ending the country's crisis, saying that it will not withdraw its troops from cities without written guarantees from armed groups that they also will lay down their weapons.

Sources

• Huffington Post
• Associated Press
• The Telegraph
• Image: Huffington Post