Pope tells pilgrims to wrap up and go home

Pope John Paul today joked about the cold weather hitting central Italy with hundreds of pilgrims outside his summer residence, urging them to go home and keep warm.

Go home. It is too cold...Happy Easter Pope John Paul urging pilgrims outside his summer residence to go home and keep warm.

The Pope, who turns 81 next month, looked in good form after delivering his Easter Monday prayers from the central balcony of his residence. He responded warmly to the shouts of well-wishers, among them youngsters from his native Poland.

"Go home. It is too cold...Happy Easter", the Pope said.

Unusually cold weather hit central Italy over the Easter weekend.

Torrential rain caused havoc in Rome on Saturday and light flurries of snow fell in the hills outside the capital, including the town of Castelgandolfo where the Pope's summer residence is situated.