Pope Francis Calls for an End to Violence and Oppression across the World
WHITFIELD: All right, this Easter Sunday, Pope Francis is calling for an end to violence and oppression across the world, from Kenya to Iran. Thousands of faithful Christians packed into St. Peter's square to hear the Pope's annual Easter message. The pontiff expressed his deep concern about the bloodshed in Kenya and in Iraq. Senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is in Rome with details.</s>BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's supposed to be a holiday occasion when Christians marked the resurrection of Jesus. But the weather in St. Peter's square was cool and rainy. The spirit of Easter this year marred by violence, most recently in Kenya where militants from the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab slaughtered almost 150 mostly Christian students at a Garissa University. Pope Francis marking this third Easter as pontiff, pray for peace in Kenya, in Iraq, in Syria, in the holy land, in Libya, in Yemen, in Nigeria and Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and then Ukraine.</s>POPE FRANCIS, CATHOLIC CHURCH HEAD (through translator): We ask peace of</s>WEDEMAN: Clearly, his mind occupied by war and rumors of war the world over. He did however end his Easter address on a slightly lighter note, asking all those present to pray for him and wishing one and all a good Easter lunch. Ben Wedeman, CNN, Rome.</s>WHITFIELD: All right let's talk more about the Pope. Joining me right now is CNN's senior Vatican correspondent John Allen and CNN religious commentator Fr. Edward Beck. Good to see both of you all. Happy Easter!</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy Easter, Fred</s>WHITFIELD: So John, you have heard - you know, we hear every Pope pray for peace in his Easter message, but does this resonate differently because of the turmoil right now because of this, you know, huge popularity of Pope Francis.</s>JOHN ALLEN, CNN SENIOR VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred and Father. Happy Easter as the Pope would say to both of you. Sure, I mean, listen, every Pope is an important diplomatic actor. The Vatican is the lone major world religion that has its own diplomatic core. It is recognized as a sovereign state around the world. But this Pope in particular, because of his huge poll numbers, the most present Pew forum survey found in States, he's got 90 percent approval among most Americans. A more recent "Wall Street Journal" poll found that he's got almost two-thirds approval among Americans at large. Politicians are very adept to creating polls. When you've got a major world leader who has massive popularity, of course, they're going to pay attention. And then, well there was one of their element of</s>WHITFIELD: Indeed. In fact, let's talk more about that poll that you are talking about. You talk about the Pew research poll, but there's also the "Wall Street Journal/NBC News" poll showing that Americans like Pope Francis so much more than their own political leaders. And Father Beck, here, some of the numbers, 56 percent see him, the Pope, in a positive light while only six percent have a degree view. By contrast, only 44 percent view President Obama in a positive light, compared to 43 percent who see him in a negative one and 44 percent seeing Hillary Clinton positively and 36 percent negatively. And then there is also the number with Jeb Bush, falling at 23 percent positive, 34 percent negative. I don't think anybody wants to be compared to the Pope, but there you go with the poll. So, Father Beck, what is it about, you know, this Pope that his message does seem to resonate differently, that is he is touching the lives of so many, that perhaps otherwise may not have paid any attention to any Pope Francis' message or any Pope's message.</s>FR. EDWARD BECK, CNN RELIGIOUS COMMENTATOR: Fred, I think globally, people see Pope Francis as a man of integrity. And it cuts across all Strata. It's -- he is popular with Republicans, with Democrats, with liberals, conservatives, although some conservatives have some bones to pick with them. But I think it because they see we need a hero. People are afraid in the world right now. We just had 150 young innocent students killed because they're Christian. We have not seen this kind of heinous violence. The world community is afraid. And so, they look to people like Pope Francis to be heroic in the faith of such violence. And I think his popularity fits for himself. But his popularity -- he doesn't have to appeal to lobbyists, to special interest groups like politicians do. He can say what he needs to say and to the chips fall where they may. I think that's why he's so popular. That's why his negative numbers are so low because people are seeing in him something they desire and they need right now.</s>WHITFIELD: So, his followers will hear, will listen to his message, but it's those who don't follow, who perhaps, you know, might benefit as well from the Pope's message, is there any way of gauging, John, whether people who don't typically follow, you know, the Pope, the catholic leader, you know, the Vatican, who may now be thinking or rethinking, you know, the message simply because of the way in which Pope Francis delivers a message?</s>ALLEN: Well, all I can tell you, Fred, I have accompanied Pope Francis into some overwhelmingly non-catholic and non-Christian environments. I mean, he's made eight foreign trips. I've been with him in Sri Lanka, where Christians are 70 percent of the population. It's a majority Buddhist nation. I have been with him in Albania, where you could put all the Catholics in a thumbnail and so on. And yet, you know, even those environments there is enormous attention to Francis' message. And I think that's at two levels. I mean, one of it is the level of discreet, and that's I think is based to what Father Ed was talking about. But whether people share Francis' religious belief and all their particulars, they see him as a moral leader of integrity. They see him as man who walks his own talk. And I agree with Father Ed, there is a first for that. Now, at a political and diplomatic I think there is a recognition that this is a Pope who was an extraordinarily effective political actor. I mean, let's not forget, that both the president of the United States and the president of the Cuba credited him with being the prime mover in paving the way for the restoration of diplomatic relations that the rush (ph) to which dates all the way back to the cold war. Let's also not forget that in September of 2013 when a number of western governments including the United States were contemplating watching military strikes in Syria, to try to bring down Bashar al- Assad, Pope Francis intervened and even the president of Cuba and Russian said that it was the Pope who stopped that. With you have all that, Fred, people are going to listen.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, John Allen and Father Edward Beck, thanks to both you. Appreciate it. Good to see you this eater Sunday. All right, coming up next, a record breaker at the weekend box office, Furious 7, how the fast and furious franchise has been impacted by the death of this young star.