On Easter, Pope Sees Joy and Misery : Observance: Thousands pack St. Peter’s Square as he pleads for an end to the Bosnia strife.

Easter came to the Vatican under gray, brooding skies, bringing pilgrims’ awe and echoes of the “atrocious drama” of war. It evoked papal joy and papal anguish.

Tens of thousands shared St. Peter’s Square with Pope John Paul II, colorful banks of flowers and helmeted Swiss Guards in a graceful replay of Europe’s most hallowed rite of spring.

John Paul, completing his 15th year as the head of the Roman Catholic Church, was of two moods as he celebrated Mass to salute the Resurrection of Christ, the central, essential mystery of Christianity.

“Together with the whole church, I announce a great joy: ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon,’ ” John Paul said, quoting from the Gospel of Luke. “Christ has truly risen, alleluia.”

On Earth, the Pope found less to cheer about, praying that “the paschal announcement loudly resound especially wherever violence, anguish and despair still oppress individuals and families, peoples and nations.”

He prayed for tormented African nations: Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, Togo, Zaire. And he lambasted Europeans and world leaders for their failure to stem tumult ravaging the former Yugoslav federation and parts of the former Soviet Union.

Speaking clear, crisp Italian to deliver his traditional Urbi et Orbi address, “To the City and the World,” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, John Paul lectured with force and anger about civil conflicts he has inveighed against time and again.

“How can we keep silent today--the day of peace--before the fratricidal struggles causing bloodshed in the region of the Caucasus, before the atrocious drama being relentlessly played out in Bosnia-Herzegovina?” he demanded.

“Who will be able to say, ‘I did not know?’ No one can consider that this tragic situation is not their affair, a situation which humiliates Europe and seriously compromises the future of peace.

“Leaders of nations, men and women of goodwill, with my heart overflowing with sorrow, I appeal once more to each one of you: Stop this war! Put an end, I beg you, to the unspeakable cruelties whereby human dignity is being violated and God, our just and merciful Father, is being offended,” the Pope said.

From the giant square, the far-off Pope in his embroidered white robes seemed a figure larger than life to 35 visitors from Beth Center High School in Fredericktown, Pa.

“It’s so big, so beautiful. I’m speechless,” said student Sharon Friend. Classmate Jessica Bobbs, a Methodist wearing a necklace of rosary beads, wrestled for words: “It’s wonderful, amazing. We don’t have anything like this at home.”

Delivering his traditional Easter blessings--in 56 languages this year--the Pope began in Italian and ended in Polish. In English, third, he said: “A blessed Easter in the joy of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord and Savior of the world.”

In his blessing, John Paul had particular words of comfort for Italians, whose political and economic Establishment is being decimated by scandal.

“Despite the present difficulty, Italy has many resources from which to draw light and support to build, within the furrow of its Catholic tradition, a serene and secure future,” he said. “I hope from my heart that the clouds which overshadow us now will be quickly dissipated.”

Italians will vote next Sunday in a national referendum that is expected to launch reform of the electoral system and of much-abused laws on political financing.