Vatican City: A special rosary prayer led by Pope Francis will be offered at the Vatican on May 31, seeking the intercession of the Holy Mother of God to bring peace to Ukraine and other troubled countries. The rosary will be offered at 6.00 pm Vatican time in front of the statue of ‘Regina Pachis’ (Queen of Peace) in the Basilica of Maria Majior (Rome) in Rome to mark the end of the May Mass. Many of the world-famous Marian basilicas line up, especially in the rosary.
People from all walks of life flock to the Basilica of Maria Majiore for rosary prayers. Children who received the first Mass this year will be joined by scout members, Ukrainian families, members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and members of the Roman Curia. Believers from the three parishes located in the Diocese of Rome will also be present in the name of the Queen of Peace. The pope has invited Ukrainian families, relatives of war victims and military chaplains to present rosary secrets.
A live broadcast from the Basilica of Maria Majiore will be available as international Marian pilgrimage centers and synagogues in conflict-torn countries join in the prayers with the Pope. Knock in Ireland, Guadeloupe in Mexico, Lourdes in France, Syed Al Najat Cathedral in Iraq, Mother of God Church in Ukraine, Jasna Gora in Poland, and Mary Queen of Arabia in Bahrain according to the Cathedral.
The pope aims to send a message of hope to a world wounded by the horrors of war. The statue of ‘Regina Pachis’ was designed in 1918 by Pope Benedict XVI and was designed by Guido Galli, then deputy director of the Vatican Museum, to seek the intercession of the Virgin for the end of World War I.