Palestinian Christians participated in Easter mass at the Roman Catholic church of the Holy Family in Gaza City Sunday as millions of Christians worldwide marked a 'bleak' Easter due to the pandemic.

Millions of Christians celebrated a second year of Easter under coronavirus restrictions, as countries attempted to control worrying surges of the virus.

Despite vaccine rollouts gathering pace in many countries, dramatic spikes in cases have forced the reimposition of unpopular restrictions from Canada to Europe and South America.

Notably, Pope Francis was due to celebrate Easter morning mass with Italy under a strict lockdown over the weekend.

Ahead of his Easter Sunday mass, he delivered a message of hope and renewal.

"It is always possible to begin anew, because there is a new life that God can awaken in us in spite of all our failures," Francis said.

"From the rubble of our hearts, God can create a work of art; from the ruined remnants of our humanity, God can prepare a new history."