Pope Francis has called for an end to violence in South Sudan.

In his Easter message, the Holy Father called for an end to all wars as he prayed for victims of violence and conflict. He mentioned some of the most violent conflicts in Africa.

“We beg for an end to the conflicts in the Central African Republic and a halt to the brutal terrorist attacks in parts of Nigeria and the acts of violence in South Sudan,” he said.

The Pope highlighted the need to deal with the scourge of hunger, which he said is aggravated by conflicts and by humankind’s immense wastefulness.

Tens of thousands of Catholic faithfuls gathered for the service, many clutching candles in the imposing surrounds of the city’s famous Colosseum, where thousands of Christians are believed to have been killed in Roman times.