Pray the Rosary in October, urges Pope Francis

Source: Vatican Media

A communiqué released by the Holy See's Press Office on Saturday stated that Pope Francis invites "all the faithful of all the world to pray the Holy Rosary every day" during the Marian month of October.

The Pope's initiative is to invite the faithful to join in communion and in penitence, as the people of God, in asking the Holy Mother of God and St Michael Archangel to protect the Church from evil, which seeks to separate us from God and from each other.

Before his departure for the Baltic States, the Holy Father met with Fr Fréderic Fornos SJ, international director of the World Network of Prayer for the Pope, and asked him to spread this appeal to all the faithful throughout the world. The invocation 'Sub Tuum Praesidium' is recited as follows: "We fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin."

The communiqué continued: "The Holy Father has also asked that the recitation of the Holy Rosary during the month of October conclude with the prayer written by Leo XIII:

'Saint Michael Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."