Pope prays for Our Lady of Kazan and greets participants to Meeting for friendship
Castelgandolfo (AsiaNews) The Pope will donate the icon of the 'Mother of God of Kazan' to Orthodox Patriarch Alexis II on August 28 in Moscow.
In today's Angelus John Paul II called on all the faithful to join him in prayer to Our Lady of Kazan to commend the unity of the Church and the world "to Mary, Mother of Unity and Love".
He also invited those present today to come to the general audience on Wednesday, August 25, to pray to the icon before it is handed over to the Moscow Patriarch and the faithful of Russia.
At the end of the Marian prayer the Pope greeted via videoconference the participants to the 25th edition of the 'Meeting for friendship among peoples' organised by the 'Communion and liberation' movement. He also greeted the movement's founder Mgr. Luigi Giussani who was also there. Meeting organisers greeted the Pope as well and sang for him.
The Rimini Meeting is a series of events in which world figures discuss various issues and questions relating to culture, politics, religions, and the arts from a Christian perspective.
Here is what the Pope said:
"Today we honour the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a feast day closely tied to the mystery of the Assumption which I had the joy to celebrate last Sunday in Lourdes.
"As I thank God once again and all those who helped me make the pilgrimage, my thoughts and heart turn to the Massabielle grotto. From that place of silence and prayer, where everything speaks of Mary, I travel in spirit to other Marian shrines that legions of pilgrims are visiting in these August days.
"This is without a doubt the Marian month par excellence, a time of celebration in so many shrines dedicated to her. I shall just mention those of Oropa (Biella), Guardia (Genoa), and Our Lady of Tears (Syracuse) in Italy. I also cannot forget the sanctuaries of Częstochowa and Kalvaria in Poland where I prayed to Our Lady so many times that she may help the Church and the world. May Christians always welcome, love, and venerate the celestial Mother of the Redeemer!
"Let us turn to the Virgin Mary venerated as the 'Mother of God of Kazan'. After leaving Russia in the 1920s and making long journeys the icon found its way to the Papal apartment where it has watched over the Pope's day-to-day activities for the past few years.
"I am happy to say that a Vatican delegation will bring the beloved icon to His Holiness Alexis II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
"The faithful will join me next Wednesday, August 25, for the general audience in praying before the icon. We commend our pleas to Mary, Mother of Unity and Love, for the good of the Church and the entire human family."
Here are the Pope's greetings at the end of the prayer:
"Greetings to all those attending the 25th edition of the 'Meeting for friendship among peoples' in Rimini! A warm thought goes in particular to Monsignor Luigi Giussani, founder and leader of the 'Communion and Liberation' movement, which has organised the week-long event.
"This year's theme Our progress lies not in thinking we have arrived, but in always keep reaching for the goal expresses a fitting merger of the Christian spirit and the quintessentially modern belief in 'progress'.
"Despite human limits and errors Christianity is the most important factor in achieving true progress because Jesus is the unfailing principle that renews Man and the world.
"It is my wish that all believers and all those who sincerely seek the truth find in Christ the reason to commit and hope. God bless you and may you all have a good Sunday!"
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