Pope Francis invokes the help of the Blessed Immaculate Virgin during the veneration ceremony

This year too, like every year, Pope Francis went to Piazza di Spagna in Rome for the traditional veneration ceremony at the Blessed Immaculate Virgin. Among the crowd of faithful you can see a carpet of flowers offered throughout the day by various devotees and groups.

The Blessed Immaculate Virgin is honored with the litanies and Francis, smiling, greets the sick present in the front row. He then he addresses a prayer to Mary for intercede in the conflicts of the world and telling him that his mere existence reminds us of our destiny it is not death but life, it is not hatred but brotherhood, it is not conflict but harmony, it is not war but peace.

The Pope raises his eyes to the sky asking Our Lady to show us the way of conversion, because there is no peace without forgiveness and there is no forgiveness without repentance.

He then entrusts them to the Immaculate Conception mothers who mourn their children killed by war and terrorism. The mothers who see them leave on journeys of desperate hope. And also mothers who try to save them from addictions and those who watch over them during their illness.

The Pope continues and explains the meaning of this pilgrimage, which is also a strong moment of popular devotion for the entire city of Rome. Say thank you once again Maria because with her discreet and constant presence watches over the city and on families, on hospitals, on hospices, on prisons and on those who live on the streets.

The birth of the tradition of the golden rose at the feet of the Blessed Immaculate Virgin

Il monument to the Immaculate Conception in Rome it was inaugurated and blessed by the Pope Pius IX on 8 December of 1857. Pius XII then, on December 8, he began sending flowers as a tribute to the Virgin. This gesture was then repeated by his successor John XXIII in 1958 who personally went to Piazza di Spagna to place a basket of white roses at the feet of the Virgin Mary. This custom was also continued by subsequent popes.

Pope Francis, before arriving in Piazza di Spagna, went to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where he prayed silently in front of the'Icon of the Sales Populi Romani and offered her the Golden rose.

The one that the Pope donated is not the only one Pink attributed to Salus. The first was donated in 1551 da Pope Julius III and subsequently from Pope Paul V.