In pictures: Easter celebrations around the world

Pope Francis has made a strong appeal for an end to wars in Gaza and Ukraine

Pope Francis has led Easter celebrations, delivering a message of peace before a huge crowd in the Vatican, despite concerns of his health

Elsewhere, festivities have been taking place across the world to mark the most important festival in the Christian calendar - Easter.

Tens of thousands of worshippers have gathered in St Peter's square to hear Pope Francis lead Easter Sunday Mass.

Jesus was resurrected on Easter Sunday, the Bible says, days after dying on the cross on Good Friday. It is traditional for many to attend services on Saturday evening as well as on Sunday.

A day after pulling out of a ceremony at short notice, Pope Francis took part in a two-hour vigil at the Vatican on Saturday.

There had been renewed concern about his health when he did not participate in a Good Friday procession.

But, the 87-year-old pontiff read a lengthy homily and carried out a number of baptisms.

Around the world, people celebrated Easter including in the Philippines where worshippers crowded to get a glimpse of the traditional procession.

Crowds gather on stairs for a traditional procession in the Philippines

In the capital Manila, children dressed as angels and prayed.

Elsewhere, in Nairobi's Kiberia district in Kenya, worshippers young and old joined together to light candles.

Priests led the service in Nairobi next to a fire outside the church

A woman attends the Easter Sunday service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church of Pakistan, in Karachi

Among those Christians celebrating Easter Sunday around the globe are 1.4 billion people belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.

At the St Sebastian's Church in Katuwapitiya, Sri Lanka, a Catholic priest gave Holy communion to Christian devotees.

Services have also been held across many European capitals, cities and towns.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa leads Easter Sunday Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City

A worshipper kisses a cross during an Easter vigil service at the Grand Immaculate Church in Al-Hamdaniya, Iraq

Following an ancient religious ritual, Sorbs, an ethnic Slavic minority in Germany, ride decorated horses while singing and announce Jesus Christ's resurrection

A cart, packed full of fireworks and other pyrotechnics, is lit by the archbishop to provide a historic spectacle known as Scoppio del Carro within Easter celebration in Florence, Italy

King Charles attends the Easter Sunday church service at Windsor Castle, in his first major public appearance since being diagnosed with cancer

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