Prayer of Pope Francis to the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Steps, Rome

As is tradition every December 8 on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis presided over the tribute to the Mother of God in the Spanish Steps in Rome.

After leaving the Casa Santa Marta, and according to the Vatican Press Office, the Holy Father went to the Basilica of Santa María Maggiore, where he prayed before the image of the Salvation of the Roman People (Protector of the Roman People), the icon before which she prays before and after her international travels.

At the end he went to the Plaza España for the act of veneration of the Immaculate Conception, where he arrived around 3:45 p.m. (local gallows) and where there were already a large number of people present, such as the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri; and the new Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome.

Already in the presence of Pope Francis, the choir and those present sang the litanies to the Virgin Mary.

.Next, the Holy Father prayed the following prayer:

Mother, Immaculate Mother,
Today is your party and we gather around you.
The flowers we offer you want to express
our love and our gratitude;
but you see and appreciate, above all, those hidden flowers
what are the prayers, the sighs, also the tears,
especially the tears of the little ones and the poor.
Look at them Mother.

Our mother, Rome is preparing for a new Jubilee
which will be a message of hope for humanity
tested by crises and war.
This is why there are works everywhere in the city:
This – you know – causes quite a bit of displeasure,
and that is a sign that Rome is alive,
renews itself and seeks to adapt to the demands,
to be cozier and more functional.

But your Mother’s gaze sees other things.
And I seem to hear your voice
who with wisdom tells us: “My children,
These works are good, but be careful,
Don’t forget the works of the soul!
The true Jubilee is within;
inside their hearts,
within family and social relationships.
It is within who needs to work to prepare
the way to the Lord who comes.”

It’s a good opportunity to make a good confusion
and ask forgiveness for all sins.
God forgives everything, always forgives, always.

Immaculate Mother we thank you!
This recommendation of yours does us good,
we need it so much because, without wanting it,
we risk being totally prey
of the organization, of the things to do,
and then, the grace of the Holy Year,
that it is time of spiritual rebirth,
of forgiveness and social liberation,
This jubilee grace may not occur, it may be suffocated.

Here the mayor prepares all these things
for these things to go well.
We pray for the mayor, for this work.

Surely you were present in the synagogue of Nazareth
that day when Jesus for the first time
He preached to the people of his country.
He read that passage from the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
For this reason he has consecrated me with the anointing
And he has sent me to bring the joyful message to the poor,
to proclaim liberation to the prisoners
and sight to the blind,
to restore freedom to the oppressed
to proclaim the year of favor of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).
Then he sat down and said, “Today it has been fulfilled.”
this Scripture that you have heard” (v. 21).
Your Mother was there, in the midst of the amazed people,
you were proud of Him, of your Son,
and at the same time you foreshadowed the drama
of closure and envy, which generates violence.
You have gone through this drama
and always go through it, with your immaculate heart
filled with the love of the Heart of Christ.

Mother, free us from envy.
May we all be brothers,
that we love each other, no envy,
It is a bad vice that ruins inside.

And also today, Mary, you repeat to us: “Listen to him!
Listen to Him and do what He tells you” (cf. Jn 2:5).
Thank you Mother, thank you Holy Mother!
Thank you because still,
In this time poor of hope,
you give us Jesus, our Hope!
Thank you Mother!

Pope Francis and Chagall’s White Crucifixion

The Vatican Press Office later reported that after the act of veneration and prayer addressed to the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Steps, the Pope arrived this afternoon at the Cipolla Palace, on the Via del Corso, where he stopped to visit “the White Crucifixiona work by (Marc) Chagall particularly loved by Pope Francis.”

“The work of the Belarusian artist, who arrives for the first time in Italy, exceptionally to celebrate the ordinary Holy Year, can be visited until January 27, 2025. Admission will be free and open to the public every day, from 10:00 p.m. 00 at 20:00”, indicates the website of Jubilee 2025.

Editor’s note: Added information about the Pope’s visit to see the White Crucifixion by artist Marc Chagall.