VATICAN CITY - On Christianity's most joyous day, Pope Benedict XVI lamented the “continual slaughter” in Iraq and unrest in Afghanistan as he denounced violence in the name of religion.

In his message for Easter, Benedict said suffering worldwide puts faith to the test.

“How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world,” the pontiff told tens of thousands of pilgrims, tourists and Romans gathered Sunday at St. Peter's Square where he had just finished celebrating Mass.

Benedict, delivering his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, denounced terrorism and kidnappings, and “the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion,” as well as human rights violations.

“Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability,” Benedict said. “In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, unfortunately, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees.”

He also had harsh words about the “underestimated humanitarian situation” in Darfur as well as other African places of suffering. These included violence and looting in Congo, fighting in Somalia, and the “grievous crisis” in Zimbabwe, marked by crackdowns on dissidents, a disastrous economy and severe corruption.

Benedict said political “paralysis” threatened Lebanon's future.

“Suffering, evil, injustice, death, especially when it strikes the innocent such as children who are victims of war and terrorism, of sickness and hunger, does not all of this put our faith to the test?”

Benedict ended his appearance by offering Easter greetings in dozens of languages, including Arabic and Hebrew, and gave the crowd his apostolic blessing.