Pope hears Easter confessions

Pope hears Easter confessions

VATICAN CITY (Reuter): Pope John Paul heard the confessions of 13 people in an Easter Week ceremony on Friday and told hundreds more Roman Catholics eager to tell him their sins that he hoped they would find someone else.

"The Pope has his obligations and (hearing confessions) is one of the duties," the 73-year-old Pontiff told about 400 worshippers at the Good Friday ceremony in St Peter's Basilica.

"There are too many of you to hear all your confessions. It would take a year," the Pope said. "I hope you go to other confessors more profitably".

Good Friday marks the day when Christ was crucified. His resurrection three days after dying on the cross will be celebrated on Easter Sunday, the most important feast in the Christian calendar.

Four families -- Indian, Italian, Polish and one of mixed Paraguayan and Spanish parents -- and an Italian medical worker were selected to confess to the Pope.

The Polish-born Pontiff was to carry a cross at the head of a traditional candlelight Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession around Rome's ancient Colosseum last night.

He will recite prayers prepared by the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Bartolomeus, during the service in the first ecumenical rite of its kind since the two churches split in 1054.

The Pope's Holy Week ceremonies culminate on Easter Sunday when he celebrates mass in St Peter's Square and delivers his twice-yearly Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) blessing and message.