Pope Francis offers Easter message after Europe visit

Pope Francis concluded a bleak week in Europe with a message of hope during an Easter service Saturday, saying darkness and fear must not prevail and imprison the world with pessimism. Francis' call to hope on the eve of the most joyful celebration in the Christian calendar with his sharp condemnation in recent days of the attacks in Belgium and elsewhere by Islamic extremists the ISIS.

 Francis entered the basilica with a single candle guiding him at the start of the vigil. Francis said the hope that Easter brings is a lesson for the Christian faithful to cast aside the pessimism that can "imprison" people inside of themselves. "We see and will continue to see problems both inside and out. They will always be there," he said. "Let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control our hearts."

 "Today is the celebration of our hope," "It is so necessary today." The Easter message recalling Christ's resurrection, "awakens and resurrects hope in hearts burdened by sadness". The lengthy service included a papal baptism for 12 adults from countries around the world.

At the service, Francis denounced the "terrorist acts committed by followers of some religions which profane the name of God and which use the holy name to justify their unprecedented violence." Francis will preside over Easter Mass and offer his annual Easter blessing.

While the pope was at the Colosseum, his chief alms-giver was out on the streets of Rome giving out sleeping bags to the homeless on Friday night as a show of support for the city's least fortunate.