Concluded the celebration of the Mass to take possession of the Basilica of San Juan de Letán, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo XIV went to the Basilica Santa María la Mayor, where the Virgin Mary is venerated in her invocation in her invocation Safety of the Roman people (Health of the Roman people).
The Holy Father arrived at the temple shortly after 7:00 p.m. (Rome time). Upon entrance to the temple, he gave his blessing to the faithful gathered inside with a brief spray with blessed water.
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He then went to the chapel where the Marian icon is located, whose authorship the tradition attributes to San Juan Evangelista, and, on his knees, he prayed for a few minutes.
He then placed a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the image of Santa María.
After the song of the Magnificat, song of the Gospel that the Virgin pronounced after the announcement of the Angel Gabriel, Pope Leo XIV directed a prayer to the Mother of God, remembering that it is “all pure, all venerable, you the best offering that humanity can present to God.”
“You conduct the church boat to a port of peace, avoiding the dangers and overcoming the storms,” he said, asking him to take care of this city, he comforts those who go to it without a roof or defense and extend your protection to the entire world. “
“Source of joy for everyone, make me worthy of rejoice with you,” he added in his prayer.
Once this moment of prayer was completed, Leo XIV went to the central nave of the Roman Basilica for a conclusive prayer.
Leo XIV then went to the tomb of Pope Francis and stopped to pray there for a moment.
At the end of his visit, from the balcony of the Basilica, Leo XIV thanked all the faithful gathered outside the Basilica: “Thank you for being here, thanks for being in front of this Basilica, this afternoon, when we celebrated all gathered as members of the Diocese of Rome the presence of your new bishop.”
“I am very happy to find you here and I thank you from the heart,” he said.
This, he said, “is a beautiful opportunity to renew our devotion to Mary, Safety of the Roman peoplewho has accompanied the people of Rome so many times in their needs. ”
“Let’s ask God for intercession of his mother to bless all of you, his families, his loved ones, and help everyone walking together in the church,” he said.
David Ramos
Graduate in Communication Sciences by the Private University of the North in Trujillo, Peru. With more than 12 years of experience in Catholic journalism working in ACI Press, I am based in Mexico since 2018. I have covered the trips of Pope Francis to Ecuador, Paraguay, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Panama.