Pope Francis today led the recitation of the Rosary in Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, the event marking the marathon of prayer during May to end the pandemic.
Today’s Rosary was prayed before an image of Mary Undoer of Knots, a devotion of special interest to the Holy Father.
The prayer of the Rosary began with the solemn procession of the Marian icon in the Vatican Gardens, led by the Bishop of Augsburg, H.E. Bishop Bertram Johannes Meier, accompanied by the children who received the first Communion of the parish
of Santa Maria Della Grotticella of Viterbo, the confirmed boys of the parish of San Domenico of Guzmán, a group of scouts from Rome, some families, and some religious representatives.
Participants in the ceremony included young people from Catholic Action will take turns in prayer, families made up of newly married or those expecting a child, and a family of deaf people where a vocation was born.
Pope Francis invited the world’s Catholics to join him during the month in a global prayer marathon involving 30 shrines around the globe, for an end to the pandemic. The marathon was announced on 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.”
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 ended with Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction.
Pope Francis launched the prayer marathon on May 1, when he led the Rosary in front of Our Lady of Help, in the Gregorian Chapel of the Vatican Basilica.
Afterward, Francis made an introductory prayer: “At the beginning of the month dedicated to Our Lady, we unite in prayer with all the shrines around the world, with the faithful and with all people of goodwill, to entrust to the hands of the Blessed Virgin the whole of humanity, very tested by this time of pandemic. Every day of this month of May we will entrust to You, Mother of Mercy, the many people who have been affected by the virus and who continue to suffer its consequences ”.
In addition, the Pope asked for the deceased and their families who “live with the pain and uncertainty of tomorrow”, for the “doctors, scientists and nurses who are in the front line of this battle, for the volunteers (…) for the professionals who have given their precious service on behalf of others ”, who have“ brought comfort to those in need ”. He also especially recalled women who “have suffered violence within the walls of their homes.”
The Bishop of Rome also prayed for the rulers of the nations, to work “helping those who lack what is necessary to live.” He especially asked Maria to touch the consciences of those who allocate huge sums of money to manufacture, perfect and consume weapons, so that those resources are used to prevent future catastrophes.
