Venerating the Immaculate Conception

At 3:20pm today, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Father, Pope Francis went to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pause in prayer before the image of the Salus Populi Romani (Guardian of the people of Rome).

Immediately afterward, the Pope went to Piazza di Spagna for the traditional Act of Veneration of Immaculate Mary.

Before returning to the Vatican, the Holy Father visited the Basilica of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte where he paid homage to the Madonna of the Miraculous Medal.

Prayer recited by the Holy Father, Pope Francis
in Piazza di Spagna

Immaculate Mother,
for the fifth time, I come to stand at your feet as the Bishop of Rome,
to render you homage in the name of all inhabitants of this city.
I want to thank you for the constant attentiveness
with which you accompany our journey,
the journey of our families, our parishes, our religious communities;
the journey of many people every day, sometimes who are tired,
as they traverse Rome on their way to work;
the journey of the sick, the elderly and all the poor,
the journey of many immigrant people who have come here from lands of war and hunger.
Thank you, because as soon as we think of you
or look to you, or offer a quick Hail Mary,
we always feel your maternal presence, tender and strong.

O Mother, help this city to develop antibodies
to fight against the viruses of our time:
indifference, which says: It's not my problem;
the lack of civic awareness that despises the common good;
fear of anything different and of anyone who is a stranger;
conformism disguised as transgression;
the hypocrisy of accusing others, while we do the same things;
resignation to environmental and ethical deterioration;
the exploitation of many men and women.
Help us to reject these and many other viruses
with the antibodies that come from the gospel.
Teach us to adopt good habits
to read a passage of the scriptures every day
and, following your example, to keep the this word in our hearts,
so that like good seed, it may bear fruit in our lives.

Immaculate Virgin,
175 years ago, not far from here,
in the church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte,
you touched the heart of Alfonso Ratisbonne, who at that moment
was an atheist and an enemy of the Church, but who became a Christian.
To him, you showed yourself as a mother of grace and mercy.
Grant also to us, especially in moments of trial and temptation,
the grace of fixing our eyes on your open hands
that allow the Lord's graces to descend upon the earth
and rid us of every trace of arrogant pride,
so that we can see ourselves as we truly are:
small and poor sinners, but still your children.
And so we can place our hands in yours
and allow ourselves to be led back to Jesus, our brother and our saviour,
and to our heavenly Father, who never grows tired of waiting for us
and of forgiving us whenever we return to Him.

Thank you, O Mother, for always helping us!
Bless the Church here in Rome,
bless this city and the entire world.
Amen.