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A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 15 april 2019

Pope Francis blesses palm branches as he ushers in Holy Week

By FRANCES D’EMILIO olive branches clutched
Associated Press by pilgrims, tourists and Ro-
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope mans before Mass began.
Francis warned against be- He watched from steps at
ing judgmental and too the foot of the obelisk in
full of oneself, including the center of the square
authorities in the Catholic as prelates, holding dried,
church, in his Palm Sunday braided palms, formed a
homily during Mass in St. circle around him. Then,
Peter’s Square, which was cradling a braided palm,
crowded with tens of thou- he joined a solemn proces-
sands of pilgrims, tourists sion to a canopied altar
and Romans. The day ush- set up outside St. Peter’s
ers in Holy Week, which will Basilica. Francis also invited
include Way of the Cross people to pray for peace,
processions around the especially in the Holy Land
world to commemorate and the Middle East.
the Passion, or suffering, of By the end of Mass, sun-
Jesus on Good Friday and shine gave way to a soft,
his death by crucifixion. light rain and the crowd
Palm Sunday services re- had swelled to 50,000 peo-
call the cries and gestures Pope Francis holds a palm frond as he celebrates a Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the ple, according to security
of triumph by onlookers Vatican, Sunday, April 14, 2019. officials. Francis, after re-
when Jesus entered Je- Associated Press moving his red robes, was
rusalem. But not long af- Jesus throughout his Passion constantly judging them in- of that by its hierarchy. The driven in his white pope-
ter, according to the New is profoundly impressive,” ferior, wanting, failures.” scandals have engulfed mobile so he could wave
Testament, the public’s Francis said in his homily. The Catholic church in the even bishops and cardi- to the crowd. Holy Week
mood changed, and Je- The pope cautioned last decades has been nals and shaken the trust culminates in joyous cel-
sus was arrested, mocked, against the temptation of rocked by revelations of of countless rank-and-file ebrations on Easter Sunday
scourged and executed. “triumphalism,” which he pedophilia and other sex faithful in the church. Sprin- as Christians celebrate their
“Festive acclamations and said feeds itself by “look- abuse by clergy and of- kling holy water, Francis belief that Jesus rose from
brutal torture: the silence of ing askance at others and ten systematic cover-ups blessed palm fronds and the dead.q

Albanian opposition clashes with police in anti-govt protest

By LLAZAR SEMINI rallied Saturday in Tirana, ly parliamentary election. supporters from around er projectiles at police.
Associated Press calling for the Socialist gov- Some protesters tried to the country showed up at Protesters broke through
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Al- ernment to resign and for storm the parliament build- Tirana’s main Martyrs of the police cordon at the
banian opposition parties the country to hold an ear- ing, but police responded the Nation boulevard hold- main entrance of the gov-
with tear gas and water ing anti-government post- ernment building, but did
cannon. ers and slogans, throwing not try to open its doors.
Thousands of opposition flares, firecrackers and oth- Police refrained from us-
ing tear gas at the govern-
ment building but used it
when demonstrators tried
to storm at the parliament
building. Scores of protest-
ers stayed at the build-
ing stairs, shouting slogans
against the prime minister.
Demonstrators stayed
more than two hours in
front of the parliament
continuously throwing hard
objects and firecrackers.
A car parked nearby was
put on fire. Police called on
An opposition protester wears a mask depicting Albanian prime
minister Edi Rama during an anti-government rally in Tirana, them to remain calm and
Albania, Saturday, April 13, 2019. launched many tear gas
Associated Press bombs. q