Pope Leo XIV’s Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square was attended by 30,000 pilgrims in Rome for the Jubilee of Marian Spiritualities, and thousands more people who gathered in neighboring streets outside the Vatican for the liturgical celebration.
During the Mass, the Holy Father expressed his great appreciation and gratitude to the members of movements, confraternities, prayer groups, and shrines — dedicated to the Blessed Virgin — for coming to Rome to participate in the Church’s holy year dedicated to hope.
Leo said their spirituality, anchored in Sacred Scripture and Church tradition, reveals the profound beauty of God’s personal love for each person.
“Mary’s path follows that of Jesus, which leads us to encounter every human being, especially the poor, the wounded and sinners,” he said in his Oct. 12 homily. “Because of this, authentic Marian spirituality brings God’s tenderness, his way of ‘being a mother,’ to light in the Church.”
According to the pontiff, devotion to the Mother of God has “changed the face of the earth forever” and should be revived through “popular devotion,” particularly in a world seeking peace and justice.
“Let us use [Marian devotions] as a driving force for renewal and transformation,” he said on Sunday. “Indeed, the Jubilee we are celebrating calls for a time of conversion and restitution, of reflection and liberation.”
Since becoming pope in May, Leo XIV has frequently spoken about the significance of the Canticle of Mary in the life of the Church throughout its 2,000-year history.
“Some forms of worship do not foster communion with others and can numb our hearts … We fail to contribute, as Mary did, to changing the world, and to share in the joy of the Magnificat,” he said.
“Let us take care to avoid any exploitation of the faith that could lead to labelling those who are different — often the poor — as enemies, ‘lepers’ to be avoided and rejected,” he added.
Through the example of Mary, the Holy Father said the Church can see the “revolutionary nature of love and tenderness” and its impact on the events of history as well as the everyday lives of each individual.
“In her, we see that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong who need not treat others poorly in order to feel important themselves,” the pope said.
“Contemplating Mary, we realize that she who praised God for ‘bringing down the mighty from their thrones’ and ‘sending the rich away empty’ is also the one who brings a homely warmth to our pursuit of justice,” he continued.
After delivering his homily, Leo XIV stood before the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima brought to St. Peter’s Square from Portugal, and dedicated the Church and the world to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He prayed particularly for those “tormented by the scourges of war.”
“Obtain for us the gift of peace that we earnestly implore,” he prayed. “Mother of the Church, welcome us kindly so that under your mantle we may find refuge and be helped by your maternal aid in the trials of life.”
‘With the entire Church, I am close to your immense pain’
Before leading the congregation in the Angelus prayer before the conclusion of Holy Mass, the Holy Father delivered a brief Sunday address and asked the Church to especially pray for people in Israel and Palestine.
“In recent days, the agreement to begin the peace process has given a spark of hope in the Holy Land,” he said, referring to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal brokered Friday.
“I encourage the parties involved to continue courageously on the path they have chosen, towards a just and lasting peace that respects the legitimate aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples,” he said.
The Holy Father concluded his short address with petitions for prayer for the people of Ukraine, following recent fatal attacks in Kyiv;the people of Peru, who are undergoing a time of “political transition”; and for victims of workplace accidents in Italy.
This article was originally published by CNA.
