Pope Francis hosts first Easter mass

An estimated 250,000 people attended Francis's first Easter as pope on Sunday in a solemn yet joyful service in St. Peter's Square.

Under blue skies and sunshine in a square bedecked by more than 40,000 plants and flowers, the pope wore relatively simple white vestments, as opposed to his predecessor Benedict who preferred more elaborate robes.

The huge crowd spilled out of St. Peter's Square and into surrounding streets and included many who had come to see a pope they hope will give a new start to a Church that has been marred by scandals involving sexual abuse of children and allegations of corruption.