Guided by the Shrines scattered around the world, all the faithful unite in the month of May to recite the rosary to invoke the end of the pandemic and the resumption of social and work activities
“By fervent wish of the Holy Father, the month of May will be dedicated to a“ marathon ”of prayer to invoke the end of the pandemic, which has afflicted the world for more than a year, and for the resumption of social and work activities . Pope Francis wanted to involve all the Shrines of the world in this initiative, so that they become instruments of prayer for the whole Church. The initiative is carried out in the light of the biblical expression: "From the whole Church the prayer to God went up incessantly" (Acts 12: 5) ".
This is reported in a press release by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, to which the Pope has entrusted the organization of the event, and to which we are all invited.
Through the recitation of the Rosary, each day of the month will be characterized by an intention of prayer in favor of the different categories of people most affected by the drama of the pandemic: for those who have not been able to say goodbye to their loved ones, for health personnel , for the poor, those who are homeless and have financial difficulties, and for all the deceased… these are some of the intentions that will mark the prayer to the Mother.
This convocation in common is intended to be a continuous prayer, distributed throughout the meridians of the world, which the whole Church incessantly raises to the Father through the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
The Holy Father will open and close the prayer, together with the faithful from around the world, from two significant locations within the Vatican City State. On May 1, Pope Francis will pray before the Virgen del Socorro, an icon venerated as early as the 7th century, inside Saint Peter's Basilica. On May 31, instead, Pope Francis will conclude the prayer from a significant place in the Vatican Gardens.
The thirty representative shrines, spread throughout the world, that have been chosen to lead the Marian prayer one day of the month are: Cast of Shrines
The prayer in each of these Shrines will be transmitted through the official channels of the Holy See at 6:00 pm, according to Rome time.
