What is Urbi et Orbi and how to watch the Pope’s address this year?

Urbi et Orbi is one of the Pope’s annual addresses to the world (Picture: Isabella Bonotto/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

While we might be regretting our umpteenth hot cross bun or chocolate Easter egg, we can take a break from the excesses of the holiday to remember what it’s all about.

For followers of the Christian faith, Easter is an incredibly sacred time. Good Friday honoured the day when Jesus Christ sacrificed himself to wash away the sins of the world, and Easter Sunday celebrates his resurrection.

Every Easter Sunday, the leader of the Catholic Church and God’s representative on Earth, the Pope, gives one of his annual addresses.

This is called Urbi et Orbi and this year’s will be Pope Francis’ tenth.

What does Urbi et Orbi mean and why is it so important to Catholics?

What is the meaning of Urbi et Orbi?

A literal translation of Urbi et Orbi in Latin is ‘to the City and to the World.’

Each year, the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi is a message and a blessing from the city of Rome to followers of the faith around the world.

The Pope will address the world from St Peter’s Basilica (Picture: Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Historically, the message is sent to the worldwide church, which in this context is understood to be the Roman Catholic Church.

Catholicos literally translates to mean ‘universal’ in the ancient Greek language, from which the religion gets its name.

But the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi message is now open to all Christians, and anyone else who is open to the message.

Typically, there are two Urbi et Orbi blessings a year – one on Easter Sunday and one at Christmas – plus one when a new Pope is chosen.

The Pope gives two Urbi et Orbi addresses per year typically (Picture: Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Urbi et Orbi Easter address is considered so important that not even the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic prevented it in 2020.

The Pope gave a message of prayer and encouragement by video link from within the Vatican that year.

How to watch Urbi et Orbi 2023

Coverage of the action live from St Peter’s Square at the Vatican will be broadcast from 11am this Easter Sunday – April 9.

Viewers can watch live via BBC One or through BBC iPlayer.

MORE : Pope Francis jokes ‘I’m still alive’ as he leaves hospital in time for Easter

MORE : How Pope Francis changed the world in 10 years

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