Ave Regina Pacis, the Queen of Peace in Santa Maria MaggioreBenedict XV: the Pope of peace in the face of the Great WarMoment of the consecration of Russia and UkrainePope Francis wants to offer a sign of hope to the world, which is suffering from the conflict in Ukraine, and which is deeply wounded by the violence of the many theaters of war still active.
On Tuesday, May 31, at 6:00 p.m. (Rome time), the Pope will pray the Rosary before the statue of Mary. Regina Pacis in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Our Lady, Queen of Peace
The statue of Mary Regina Pacis is located in the left nave of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. It was commissioned by Benedict XV and made by the sculptor Guido Galli, then deputy director of the Vatican Museums, to ask the Virgin Mary for the end of the First World War in 1918.
The Virgin is represented with her left arm raised as a sign to order the end of the war, while with her right arm she holds the Child Jesus, ready to drop the olive branch that symbolizes peace. The flowers sculpted at the base symbolize the flowering of life with the return of peace. It is traditional that the faithful deposit at the feet of the Virgin small handwritten notes with prayer intentions.
In fact, the Pope will lay a crown of flowers at the feet of the image before addressing his prayer to Our Lady and leaving his particular intention.
The rosary for peace
In addition to the Pope, several people will actively participate in this celebration. Among them, a group of boys and girls who have received their First Communion and Confirmation in recent weeks, scoutsThe event was attended by the members of the Ukrainian Community of Rome, representatives of the Marian Ardent Youth (GAM), members of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps and the Pontifical Swiss Guard, and members of the three parishes in Rome that bear the name of the Virgin Mary Queen of Peace, together with members of the Roman Curia.
A Ukrainian family, people related to the victims of the war and a group of military chaplains with their respective corps will be in charge of leading the decades of the rosary, as a sign of closeness to those most involved in these tragic events.
Shrines around the world
Another important sign is the participation of international shrines from all over the world, also from countries still affected by war or with strong political instability in their midst. These shrines will pray the rosary at the same time as the Holy Father and will be connected via streaming with the live transmission from Rome.
Thus, the following shrines will be connected: the Shrine of the Mother of God (Zarvanytsia) in Ukraine; the Cathedral of Sayidat al-Najat (Our Lady of Salvation) in Iraq; the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Syria; the Cathedral of Mary Queen of Arabia in Bahrain.
Next to them will be the following International Shrines: Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and the Good Journey; International Shrine of Jesus the Savior and Mother Mary; Shrine of Jasna Góra; International Shrine of the Korean Martyrs; Holy House of Loreto; Our Lady of the Holy Rosary; International Shrine of Our Lady of Knock; Our Lady of the Rosary; Our Lady Queen of Peace; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Our Lady of Lourdes.
All the faithful of the world are invited to support Pope Francis in his prayer to the Queen of Peace.
The prayer will be broadcast live on the official channels of the Holy See, will be connected to all Catholic networks around the world, and will be accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing through translation into Italian sign language LIS.
