Pope Francis Ends Prayer Marathon with Rosary saying "We continue to ask the Lord to protect the whole world from the pandemic..." FULL TEXT + Video

Holy Rosary for the conclusion of the month of May at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens on May 31st.

The Holy Father Francis presided over the recitation of the Holy Rosary in front of the image of the  Virgin Mary who unties the knots  at the end of the prayer marathon on the theme "Prayer to God incessantly went up from the whole Church" ( Acts  12 : 5) to invoke the end of the pandemic.

The initiative, born at the wish of the Pope, was promoted by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization and involved thirty Marian shrines from all over the world who, in turn, led prayer every day of the month of May, traditionally the Marian month. of the Rosary for the whole Church.   

The prayer marathon was opened on May 1st by the Holy Fatherat the Madonna del Soccorso, in the Gregorian Chapel of the Vatican Basilica. 

FULL TEXT : THANKSGIVING FROM THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS

AT THE END OF THE "PRAYER MARATHON"

Vatican Gardens
Monday, May 31, 2021

 

At the end of this marathon of prayer to ask for the end of the pandemic and the full resumption of pastoral and social life, I am pleased to thank in particular the Dicastery for the New Evangelization and the thirty Shrines that have alternated in the course of this month. animation of the prayer of the Rosary under the presidency of the individual Bishops.

I have seen so much participation among the people of God, that through the means of communication and the commitment of many Shrines around the world it has reached millions of people, who with a single voice raised their prayers to the Holy Mother of God.

It is thanks to the Diocese of Augsburg that the image of the Knotenlöserin  [“who unties knots”] comes, today venerated in this open-air sanctuary in a beautiful copy made by the painter Ana Maria Berti.

We continue to ask the Lord to protect the whole world from the pandemic and that everyone, without exception of any kind, be given the opportunity to take shelter through the vaccine soon.

Good evening, thank you and pray for me.

*************

The prayer of the Rosary began with the solemn procession in the Vatican Gardens of the icon of the  Virgin Mary untying the knots  led by the Bishop of Augsburg, HE Msgr.Bertram Johannes Meier, accompanied by the children who received the first Communion of the parish of Santa Maria of the Grotticella di Viterbo, the confirmed boys of the parish of San Domenico di Guzmán and a group of scouts from Rome, some families and some religious representing the entire people of God. The procession is animated by the choir of the diocese of Rome and from the Band of Arcinazzo Romano.

Some young people from Catholic Action will alternate in prayer, families made up of newlyweds or expecting a child and a family of deaf people where a religious vocation was born.
At the end of the celebration, the coronation ceremony of the image of the Madonna takes place. [ Edited from a Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office ]