Pope prays for people of Rome during traditional veneration of Immaculate Mary
December 09, 2015
Following a custom that dates back over six decades, Pope Francis left the Vatican on the afternoon of December 8 and traveled to the Piazza di Spagna in Rome, where he offered an act of veneration to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Column of the Immaculate Conception.
The Pontiff prayed:
Virgin Mother, on this day, the feast of your Immaculate Conception, I pay homage to you in faith and love on behalf of God’s holy people who live in this city and diocese. I come before you in the name of families, with their joys and troubles; on behalf of children and young people, exposed to life’s challenges; on behalf of the elderly, laden with age and years of experience; I come especially on behalf of the sick, the imprisoned, and those who struggle. As a pastor I also come here for the sake of all those who have come from far-away lands in search of peace and work.
There is space for everyone beneath your cloak, because you are the Mother of Mercy. Your heart is full of tenderness towards all your children: the tenderness of God, who, by you, became incarnate and became our brother, Jesus, Savior of every man and every woman. Looking at you, our Immaculate Mother, we see the victory of divine Mercy over sin and all its consequences; and hope for a better life is reignited within us, free from slavery, rancor and fear.
Here, today, in the heart of Rome, we hear your motherly voice calling all of us to walk towards that door, which represents Christ. You say to everyone: “Come, come closer, faithful ones; enter and receive the gift of mercy; do not be afraid, do not be ashamed: the Father awaits you with open arms. He will forgive and welcome you into his house. Come, all those in search of peace and joy.”
We thank you, Immaculate Mother, because you do not make us walk along this path alone; you guide us, you are near us and help us through every difficulty. May God bless you, now and forever, Mother. Amen.
Following the act of veneration, Pope Francis visited the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he prayed before the Marian icon of the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the Roman People).
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Further information:
- Homage to the Statue of the Immaculate Conception - 2015.12.08 (YouTube Vatican)
- Atto di venerazione all’Immacolata a Piazza di Spagna e visita alla “Salus Populi Romani” nella Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, 08.12.2015 (Holy See Press Office)
- Pope Francis pays homage to the Virgin Mary at Piazza di Spagna (Vatican Radio)
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