Latest News
Vatican Pope sends medicine, generators and food to Ukraine in freezing winter West Africa Catholic Communicators in Central Africa Urged to Uphold Transparency, Impartiality as “frontline” Evangelizers West Africa Nigeria Diocese of Kontagora: 50 Kidnapped students who escaped, reunited with families Vatican Pope Leo XIV Criticizes Transhumanism: ‘Death Is Not Opposed to Life’ West Africa “I am deeply sorry”: Bishop Kukah Says amid Criticism of Remarks on Genocide Targeting Christians in Nigeria East Africa National Youth Conference a “Pentecost” of Unity, Catholic Archbishop in Uganda Urges Deeper Communion with Christ Vatican Pope Francis’ body to lie in state until funeral on Saturday morning Vatican Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday aged 88 Vatican Pope Francis appears at Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Square Vatican Pope prays at St Mary Major ahead of Holy Week East Africa Central African Republic: Peace efforts bearing fruit Vatican Pray for Those Who Left the Faith as You Walk the Stations of the Cross Vatican Jubilee pilgrims, Rome’s Catholics pray for Pope Francis South Africa South Africa Bishops urge racial healing as Trump condemns country’s land policy Vatican Pope calls Gaza parish from hospital every night, pastor says East Africa African bishop cautions Catholic journalists against compromising standards Vatican Pope’s new cardinals stress peace, evangelization Vatican African bishops speak: How has the Synod on Synodality impacted the Church in Africa? Vatican Pope Francis names 21 new cardinals, including archbishops of Tehran and Toronto Vatican Cardinals approve canonization of Carlo Acutis, date to be decided South Africa South Africa’s Cardinal Napier Sends Out Strong Message about “assault on the family” East Africa Pope Francis erects new metropolitan see in Zambia, appoints archbishop Vatican Pope Francis at G7: AI must not replace human decision-making Europe Pope Francis’ pastoral visit to Verona emphasizes call to be peacemakers America Over 1,000 attend Washington, D.C., Eucharistic procession despite rain South Africa Botswana diocese mourns loss of bishop who collapsed during Mass Vatican Pope Francis: Hope ‘is a gift that comes directly from God’ West Africa Most priests in Sierra Leone are sons of Muslims-bishop

Pope prays at St Mary Major ahead of Holy Week

12th April, 2025 | Vatican Media

According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the Pope entered the Basilica to pray before the icon of the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani.

The Holy Father's devotion to Salus Populi Romani (Our Lady Protectress of Rome) is well known. Upon being discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital three weeks ago, he had paused briefly outside the Basilica on his way back to his residence, Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican. On that occasion, he gave a bouquet of flowers to Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, Coadjutor Archpriest of the Basilica, to be placed before the sacred icon.


Saturday's visit marked the 126th time the Pope has visited the papal Basilica to pay tribute to the icon of Our Lady. Since the day after his election on 14 March 2013,  he has made it a point to pray before Salus Populi Romani before and after each Apostolic Journey.


Pope Francis's most recent visit to the Basilica, the latest of more than one hundred such occasions, took place on 14 December 2024. On that occasion, he prayed before his 47th Apostolic Journey to Ajaccio, Corsica, where he was to close the Congress on "Popular Religiosity in the Mediterranean".

Back To News List

FrontPageFrontPage
Entering the Desert with Christ: What Lent Asks of Us
As we begin the sacred forty days of Lent on Ash Wednesday, Holy Mother Church invites us into the desert with Christ Himself through the trials of the wilderness, stripping away the noise of the world to hear the whisper…
Winning FamilyWinning Family
Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled - John 14:1
This words spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples preparing them for his departure could not be more appropriate as soothing words for the people of our time.

The world we live in now does not promise…
Our FaithOur Faith
Fasting and Mercy

The theme of conversion is a thread that runs all through Lent, but conversion takes on different aspects throughout the phases of Lent. The first two and a half weeks focused on the interior…
Catholic LivingCatholic Living
The History of Lent

What are the origins of Lent? Did the Church always have this time before Easter?

Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter. In the desire to renew the…
Faith & BusinessFaith & Business
Dishonesty and Deception in Business
Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel. 
PROVERBS 20:17

Medicine For What Ails You.
One of the earliest national advertising campaigns commenced in 1875 and ran for…
Young & CatholicYoung & Catholic
Children Need Quiet Time Too

Personal reflection can lead to prayer

Quiet, reflective time is an endangered species in our culture. For many families, every moment of life is filled with noise and activity, and “down time” is seen as…
Tonic For The SoulTonic For The Soul
The Heavy Burdens We Carry

I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation this past Saturday. I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that morning. I try to go every…
Saint Of The Month
Saint Josephine Bakhita

Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people…

Videos Of The Month

The Stations of the Cross: 20-Minute Meditative Prayer (Lent 2026)
Join us as we walk the Way of the Cross during Lent 2026. This 20-minute meditative prayer will help you enter deeply into the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ through scripture and reflection....
How to Offer Everything to God this Lent | Fr. Mike Schmitz & Fr. Columba Jordan
This Lent, you don’t have to wait until you feel ready, strong, or spiritual enough. God is ready to meet you right where you are. God is really asking us for–an offering of whatever we have to give right now. ...
Jim Caviezel Interview Will Leave You Speechless | After Filming Passion of Christ
This unreleased interview features a young Jim Caviezel shortly after filming The Passion of the Christ. Sitting down with Dr. Richard Lee, Jim opens up about the spiritual journey that followed his portrayal of Jesus....
Catholic Africa Directory
NEWS

Pope sends medicine, generators and food to Ukraine in freezing winter

Catholic Communicators in Central Africa Urged to Uphold Transparency, Impartiality as “frontline” Evangelizers

Nigeria Diocese of Kontagora: 50 Kidnapped students who escaped, reunited with families

Pope Leo XIV Criticizes Transhumanism: ‘Death Is Not Opposed to Life’

“I am deeply sorry”: Bishop Kukah Says amid Criticism of Remarks on Genocide Targeting Christians in Nigeria

Catholic News
African Saints
Ask A Priest

 © 2002- The Beacon International Catholic Magazine. All Rights Reserved   

Another Mc.Rufus Interactive / CouchCMS Design