VATICAN CITY — Pope John Paul II presided over a solemn Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Square on Saturday night to lead the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics into the most important feast of the church year.
The 79-year-old pontiff, looking and sounding tired at times, began the long service at the obelisk at the center of St Peter's Square, where he lighted a large candle and carved on it the Greek letters Alfa and Omega and the number 2000.
Tens of thousands of faithful in the square then lighted their candles in the twilight, as the pope, wearing gold vestments, rode in an open white jeep to an altar on the steps of the basilica to preside at a mass.
After four Gospel passages were read in French, Spanish, German and English, the basilica's bells rang out and the Sistine Chapel choir sang as the pope intoned the start of the "Gloria," a prayer of praise to God.
Later, speaking from the flower-bedecked altar in front of the recently restored facade of the largest church in Christendom, the pope recounted the biblical story of Jesus' resurrection from the dead three days after his crucifixion.
"Christ is risen! So the church proclaims, at the end of this Easter night, even as yesterday she proclaimed Christ's death on the cross. It is a proclamation of truth and life," he said in his sermon.
"Yes, Christ is truly risen and we are witnesses of this. We proclaim this witness to the world, so that the joy which is ours will reach countless other hearts, kindling in them the light of hope which does not disappoint," he said.
The pope, who turns 80 next month, prayed that God would guard "the passage from the second to the third millennium, which we are experiencing . . ."
Later during the ceremony, the pope was conferring the sacraments of baptism and confirmation on eight adult converts to Catholicism from Japan, China, Cameroon, Albania and Italy.
"The variety of your native countries points to the universality of the salvation brought by Christ," he told them.
The pope's hectic Holy Week, during which he has already presided at seven services, has again tested the stamina of a man who has appeared increasingly frail in recent years.