(Vatican Radio)PopeFrancis paid
a visit on Saturday afternoon to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome to ask
the Virgin for her protection for his upcoming apostolic journey to Brazil, for the
young people who will gather at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro and for all young
people worldwide. The Pope came to the Basilica to the 16:45, where he was welcomed
by the Archpriest Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló. He entered through the side door
of the Sacristy and immediately went to the chapel where the image of the Madonna
Salus Populi Romani is displayed and where the canons of the Basilica and the community
of the Dominican fathers had gathered.
Before
the icon of Mary, the Pope spent time in silent prayer, for over half an hour, then
he offered a wreath and lit a candle which also carried the symbolic logo of the World
Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
Since
the Basilica was open to the public and many faithful were present, the Pope before
leaving stood in front of the central altar of the Basilica, where he listened to
a brief address by the Cardinal Archpriest and addressed a few words to the faithful,
asking them to also accompany him, "in prayer, with faith and penance" on his trip
to Brazil and his meeting with young people all over the world. The whole visit lasted
a little over an hour. At 18, the Holy Father returned to the Vatican.