Pope to begin Advent season with special prayers for “unborn life”
(November 23, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI will usher in the Advent season on Saturday
evening, leading the First Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent in Rome’s St. Peter’s
Basilica. During the Prayer Vigil, the Pope will especially pray for “Nascent life”.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by Mons. Guido Marini, who is in charge of Pontifical
liturgical ceremonies. With the start of Advent, in preparation for Christmas, the
Church begins a new liturgical calendar. Earlier on Nov. 14 after praying the ‘Angelus’
Pope Benedict had announced that on Nov. 27, he would preside over a Vespers service
on the occasion of the first Sunday of Advent and hold a prayer vigil for unborn life.
As the initiative is shared with particular Churches throughout the world, the Pope
said he had recommended that it be held in parishes, religious communities, associations
and movements. He said, “The period of preparation for Christmas is a good time to
invoke divine protection upon every human being called into existence, and also as
a thanksgiving to God for the gift of life received from our parents.