WATCH Crowds Join Vatican Rosary for Pope Francis with Cardinal Fernández - VIDEO with Beautiful Music and Prayers

 The Vatican's leading cardinals have for the fifth consecutive day, led the recitation of the Rosary for Francis in St. Peter's Square. This day leading the prayer is the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: 

"Please do not forget to pray for me." This simple invocation, full of meaning, has continued through the years of Pope Francis' pontificate. This evening, February 28, the faithful flocked to St. Peter's Square to gather in prayer around him, combining hope and devotion among the beads of the Rosary.

A prayer with the desire that it goes beyond himself, rising "also for all those who in this particular dramatic and suffering moment in the world, bear the heavy burden of war, poverty, disease. He himself joins them in his prayer". This was recalled by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, who led the recitation of the Marian prayer "for the health of the Holy Father Francis" right under the gaze of the Mother of the Church, whose icon also watches over the moment of prayer this evening.

Cardinals, priests, nuns, lay faithful from different corners of the world, some young people: the people of God, raise their voices in a single melody of faith, meditating on the Sorrowful Mysteries.

Gospel passages were read, the Our Father, dozens of Hail Marys , the prayer alternates with silences full of devotion.   Christ in the presence of Pilate, the flagellation and the crowning of thorns, up to the road to Calvary and, finally, to the cross. The contemplation of pain is reflected in the night sky of Rome, where the darkness gives way to "blessed hope", invoked before the concluding prayer: Oremus pro Pontifice.  That hope is light, like the golden reflection on the facade of St. Peter's, or the torches that some of the faithful hold in their hands. It is the "goal" towards which the faithful walk "together", ideally united even when, having finished the Rosary, each one goes back home.

Edited from Vatican News