Hundreds Spend Easter In Tents

The mood was sombre as about 150 faithful, mostly elderly people, celebrated the holiest day on the Roman Catholic calendar in L'Aquila's main tent city on Sunday.

Earthquake survivors across Italy sought comfort amid the tragedy that levelled their cities and killed hundreds of people as they gathered for Easter Sunday Mass in makeshift chapels across central Italy.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi arrived for Mass in L'Aquila with firefighters, many of whom had to deal with the loss of their own loved ones or property as they responded to the 6.3-magnitude temblor that killed 193 people, left some 40-thousand homeless and levelled thousands of buildings.

L'Aquila Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari, who celebrated Mass before a small statue of the Madonna and a crucifix hanging from tent wall, acknowledged their anger over the huge losses they had suffered but reminded them of the religious significance of the day.

"It's Easter for us as well, despite the rubble and the tragedy of the earthquake," Molinari, told those who had assembled for mass.

Brown-robed Capuchin monks helped move out dining tables and set up rows of chairs for the tent-city Mass, while rescue workers handed out traditional dove-shaped Easter cake to survivors of Monday's quake.

A traditional Easter meal of lamb was planned, and children were given large, cellophane-wrapped chocolate Easter eggs.

One of those helping with the food was Gabriel Cordero Gomez, a Spanish citizen who saw the effects of the quake on the television and decided he wanted to help.

Gomez, who was handing out the traditional easter sweet called "Colomba" on Sunday, said that he bought the first plane ticket that he found on the internet and within six hours of leaving he was serving meals for quake survivors.