During the General Audience, over which Pope Francis presided in St. Peter’s Square on April 4, 2018, Wednesday of the Easter Octave, he spontaneously invited the crowd to wish Benedict XVI a Happy Easter.
At the beginning of his catechesis, the Argentine Pope expressed his best wishes for Easter to the 20,000 participants, gathered under the rain. Pointing out the flowers of the Low Countries that decorated the area for the paschal celebrations, the Pontiff said that they signified “joy” and “gladness.” By Christ’s Resurrection, he added, “our justification flowers, the holiness of the Church flowers.”
“We celebrate Easter the whole week,” reminded Pope Francis. Therefore “we wish one another once again a Happy Easter feast.”
“I would like us to wish a Happy Easter feast – because he was Bishop of Rome – to our beloved Pope Benedict, who follows us on television.”
“We all wish Pope Benedict a Happy Easter feast, and give him a loud applause!” he added, while the crowd applauded.
