Pope marks 'Easter of solitude' in virus lockdown

Pope Francis prayed for tens of thousands of coronavirus victims in an unprecedented livestream Easter Sunday message delivered from a hauntingly empty Vatican to a world under lockdown.

The 83-year-old pontiff spoke softly at a ceremony attended by just a handful of priests and a small choir that was spaced out across the expansive marble floor of Saint Peter's Basilica.

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"For many, this is an Easter of solitude lived amid the sorrow and hardship that the pandemic is causing, from physical suffering to economic difficulties," Francis said.

The pandemic raging outside the Vatican's locked gates has killed more than 110,000 people and left billions confined to their homes.

Also see:Observing Good Friday during a global lockdown

Most of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics were in forced confinement as the pope spoke, and few of the world's churches were open on Christianity's holiest day.

In his homily, the pope called for a global ceasefire and debt relief for the poorest countries.

His message was livestreamed for the first time, a bow to technology in the face of a new illness that has transformed society and altered the way religion is observed.

Around the globe, others followed his advice and found creative solutions.