Pope prays for peace on Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis marked the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, on Friday, by visiting the Roman Basilica of St Mary Major, where he placed three Golden Roses before the icon of 'Maria Salus Populi Romani' (Our Lady of Health of the Roman People). He then travelled to the statue of the Immaculate Conception on a pillar in Piazza Mignanelli, adjacent to Rome's central Piazza di Spagna where he left leaving a wreath of roses and said a prayer invoking the gift of peace in the world.

Pope Francis is the third Pope to make this ancient and highly symbolic gesture. The last Pope to do so was Pope Paul V in 1613.

The tradition of this gift, symbolizing the papal blessing, dates back to the Middle Ages. The gesture is an expression of Pope Francis' profound bond with the Mother of God.

The Pope began the prayer by thanking the Virgin for her "discreet and constant presence, which gives us comfort and hope."

"Your person - the very fact that you exist reminds us that evil has neither the first nor the last word; that our destiny is not death but life, it is not hatred but brotherhood, it is not conflict but harmony, it is not war but peace".

He then entrusted to her mercy "all peoples oppressed by injustice and poverty, and suffering war", referring in particular to the "tormented Ukrainian people" and the Palestinian and Israeli peoples who have "plunged back into a spiral of violence."

The Pope also turned his thoughts to the many mothers who, as Mary did, are grieving for the loss of their children killed by war and terrorism, or who see them leave for desperate journeys of hope, or trying to save them from addictions, and those who watch over them in a long and hard illness.

Finally, Pope Francis entrusted to Mary's protection all the women victims of violence. Please dry their tears and those of their loved ones," he prayed.

Concluding, Pope Francis implored the Blessed Virgin to show the "the way of conversion, because, he said there is no peace without forgiveness and there is no forgiveness without repentance."

"The world changes if hearts change; and everyone must say: starting with mine. But only God can change the human heart with his grace: the one in which you, Mary, you are immersed from the first moment. The grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord, that you generated in the flesh, who died and rose again for us, and who you always point out to us. He is salvation, for every man and for the world. Come, Lord Jesus! May your kingdom of love, justice and peace come! Amen."