"Be humble", Pope Francis urges Catholic Church

Pope Francis has opened Holy Week celebrations with a call for humility from the Catholic Church.

Tens of thousands of people attended the event in Vatican City, waving palm and olive branches to mark the day the Bible says Jesus rode into Jerusalem, hailed as the Messiah, only to be crucified days later.

Francis pointed to the story as a warning to resist triumphalism and remain humble. "Festive cries, followed by brutal torture. This twofold mystery accompanies our entrance into Holy Week each year," he said.

He also asked the crowd to pray for peace, particularly in the Holy Land and all of the Middle East.

In Jerusalem, worshippers joined a Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives to the Old City of Jerusalem.

Palm Sunday opens the week leading to Easter Sunday, the most important day on the Christian liturgical calendar.