At noon today (local time), His Holiness, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Regina Coeli with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last evening, I returned from my pilgrimage to Fatima - let us applaud Our Lady of Fatima! - and our marian prayer today takes on a special significance, loaded with memory and prophesy for those who look at history through the eyes of faith. In Fatima, I was immersed in the prayer of the holy and faithful people, prayer that in that place has flowed for the past hundred years like a river, imploring the maternal protection of Mary over the entire world. I give thanks to the Lord who allowed me to stand at the feet of the Virgin Mother as a pilgrim of hope and of peace. And I sincerely thank the Bishops, the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, the State Authorities, the President of the Republic and all those who offered their assistance.
From the very beginning, when in the Chapel of Apparitions I remained in silence for a long period, accompanied by the prayerful silence of all the pilgrims, a contemplative and prayerful atmosphere was created. At the centre of all this, the Risen Lord was and is present, present in the midst of his people in the Word and in the Eucharist. Present in the midst of the many sick people who are the focus of the liturgical and pastoral life of Fatima, as is the case with every Marian shrine.
At Fatima, the Virgin chose the innocent hearts and the simplicity of the children Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia as keepers of her message. These children greeted her in a dignified manner; in such a way that they were considered credible witnesses of the apparitions, and became models of Christian life. With the canonization of Francisco and Jacinta, I wished to propose to the entire Church their example of faithfulness to Christ and to the testimony of the gospel; I also wanted to propose to the entire Church the importance of taking care of children. Their holiness was not a consequence of the apparitions, but of the faith and ardour with which they responded to the privilege of having seen the Virgin Mary. Following the meeting with the beautiful Lady - that was what they called her - they frequently recited the Rosary, performed acts of penance and offered sacrifices in order that the war might end and also for the souls most in need of divine mercy.
Even today, we need to pray and do penance in order to implore the grace of conversion, to implore an end to the many wars that are taking place all over the world and which are increasing more and more, as well as an end to the absurd conflicts great and small which disfigure the face of humanity.
Let us be guided by the light that comes from Fatima. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary always be our refuge, our consolation and the path that leads us to Christ.
Following the recitation of the Regina Coeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I entrust to Mary, the Queen of Peace, the fate of the people afflicted by war and conflicts, especially in the Middle East. Many innocent persons are being sorely tried: Christians, Muslims, those who belong to other minorities such as the Yazidi, all those who are suffering tragic violence and discrimination. My solidarity accompanies the memory of prayer while I thank all those who are so committed to providing for humanitarian needs. I encourage the various communities to continue along the path of dialogue and social friendship in order to build a future of respect, security and peace, far from every kind of war.
Yesterday in Dublin, a Jesuit priest by the name of John Sullivan was proclaimed Blessed. He lived in Ireland between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, dedicating his life to teaching and to the spiritual formation of young people. He was so beloved and sought after as a father of the poor and the suffering. Let us give thanks to God for his witness.
I greet all of you, the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from Italy and from other countries. In particular, the faithful from Ivrea, Salerno, Valmontone and Rimini; the graduates from Potenza and from Mozzo (Bergamo). I greet all those taking part in the initiative known as Empty strollers and the group of mothers from Bordighera: the future of our society requires contributions from everyone, especially institutions, tangible attention paid to life and to maternity. This call is particularly significant today while we are celebrating, in many countries, the festival of mothers (Mothers' Day); let us recall with gratitude and affection all our mothers, even our mothers who are in heaven. Let us entrust them to Mary, the mother of Jesus. And now, I want to propose something: let us stop for a moment of silence, every one of us can pray for our mothers.
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Regina Coeli
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last evening, I returned from my pilgrimage to Fatima - let us applaud Our Lady of Fatima! - and our marian prayer today takes on a special significance, loaded with memory and prophesy for those who look at history through the eyes of faith. In Fatima, I was immersed in the prayer of the holy and faithful people, prayer that in that place has flowed for the past hundred years like a river, imploring the maternal protection of Mary over the entire world. I give thanks to the Lord who allowed me to stand at the feet of the Virgin Mother as a pilgrim of hope and of peace. And I sincerely thank the Bishops, the Bishop of Leiria-Fatima, the State Authorities, the President of the Republic and all those who offered their assistance.
From the very beginning, when in the Chapel of Apparitions I remained in silence for a long period, accompanied by the prayerful silence of all the pilgrims, a contemplative and prayerful atmosphere was created. At the centre of all this, the Risen Lord was and is present, present in the midst of his people in the Word and in the Eucharist. Present in the midst of the many sick people who are the focus of the liturgical and pastoral life of Fatima, as is the case with every Marian shrine.
At Fatima, the Virgin chose the innocent hearts and the simplicity of the children Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia as keepers of her message. These children greeted her in a dignified manner; in such a way that they were considered credible witnesses of the apparitions, and became models of Christian life. With the canonization of Francisco and Jacinta, I wished to propose to the entire Church their example of faithfulness to Christ and to the testimony of the gospel; I also wanted to propose to the entire Church the importance of taking care of children. Their holiness was not a consequence of the apparitions, but of the faith and ardour with which they responded to the privilege of having seen the Virgin Mary. Following the meeting with the beautiful Lady - that was what they called her - they frequently recited the Rosary, performed acts of penance and offered sacrifices in order that the war might end and also for the souls most in need of divine mercy.
Even today, we need to pray and do penance in order to implore the grace of conversion, to implore an end to the many wars that are taking place all over the world and which are increasing more and more, as well as an end to the absurd conflicts great and small which disfigure the face of humanity.
Let us be guided by the light that comes from Fatima. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary always be our refuge, our consolation and the path that leads us to Christ.
Following the recitation of the Regina Coeli, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I entrust to Mary, the Queen of Peace, the fate of the people afflicted by war and conflicts, especially in the Middle East. Many innocent persons are being sorely tried: Christians, Muslims, those who belong to other minorities such as the Yazidi, all those who are suffering tragic violence and discrimination. My solidarity accompanies the memory of prayer while I thank all those who are so committed to providing for humanitarian needs. I encourage the various communities to continue along the path of dialogue and social friendship in order to build a future of respect, security and peace, far from every kind of war.
Yesterday in Dublin, a Jesuit priest by the name of John Sullivan was proclaimed Blessed. He lived in Ireland between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, dedicating his life to teaching and to the spiritual formation of young people. He was so beloved and sought after as a father of the poor and the suffering. Let us give thanks to God for his witness.
I greet all of you, the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from Italy and from other countries. In particular, the faithful from Ivrea, Salerno, Valmontone and Rimini; the graduates from Potenza and from Mozzo (Bergamo). I greet all those taking part in the initiative known as Empty strollers and the group of mothers from Bordighera: the future of our society requires contributions from everyone, especially institutions, tangible attention paid to life and to maternity. This call is particularly significant today while we are celebrating, in many countries, the festival of mothers (Mothers' Day); let us recall with gratitude and affection all our mothers, even our mothers who are in heaven. Let us entrust them to Mary, the mother of Jesus. And now, I want to propose something: let us stop for a moment of silence, every one of us can pray for our mothers.
I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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