Pope Francis calls on Azerbaijan and Armenia

In his Easter message, Pope Francis called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach a peace agreement as soon as possible, Report informs via Vatican News.

The pontiff expressed hope for a final reconciliation between the two countries and the restoration of the region.

"Peace is not possible without disarmament. It is important to prevent this from turning into a global arms race, recognizing the need for each people to ensure its own defense," the reads the message.

He called for peace in the Holy Land, where this year's Easter is celebrated by both Catholics and Orthodox.

"I express my closeness to the suffering Christians in Palestine and Israel, as well as to the entire Israeli and Palestinian people," he said.

The pontiff also called for prayers for Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria and for peace between the parties in the Russia-Ukraine war.

For the first time in the last 11 years, the dates of Orthodox and Catholic Easter have coincided.