This May, the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Francis has invited the world’s Catholics to join him in a global prayer marathon involving 30 shrines around the globe, for an end to the pandemic.

Announced yesterday, April 21, by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, the dicastery’s statement began: “By the earnest desire of the Holy Father, the month of May will be dedicated to a prayer marathon with the theme ‘Earnest Prayer Was Made to God by the Whole Church (Acts 12:5).’”

“The initiative will involve especially all the world’s shrines, so that they become promoters, among the faithful, families and communities, of the recitation of the rosary to invoke an end to the pandemic.”

Every day the Marian prayer will be led from 30 representative shrines spread around the world. The Holy rosary will be broadcast live on the Holy See’s official channels at 6 pm Rome time every day.

Pope Francis will open this great prayer on May 1 and close it on May 31.

In the past, the Holy Father has already been the protagonist of important prayer initiatives to ask for an end to the pandemic. Above all, during the Vigil in a deserted Saint Peter’s Square under the rain. On March 27, 2020, the Pontiff prayed before the wooden Crucifix of Santo Marcello and the image of the Virgin, Salus Populi Romani. The vigil that ended with Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction.

The news of this prayer marathon, in which the rosary will be central, came yesterday, April 22, the day Pope Francis dedicated his General Audience catechesis to vocal prayer.