Pope Leo XIV visited the center of Rome on Monday to venerate the image of the Immaculate Conception, as tradition dictates, and called for the Jubilee to be followed by the opening of 'other doors of houses and oases of peace,' education 'in non-violence,' and learning 'the art of reconciliation.' Upon arriving at Piazza Mignanelli, next to the famous Piazza di Spagna, the pontiff blessed a bouquet of white flowers with a Vatican ribbon, which was laid at the foot of the column supporting the statue of the Virgin Mary. 'Immaculate Mother of a faithful people, your transparency illuminates Rome with eternal light, your path perfumes its streets more than the flowers we offer today,' prayed Leo XIV to the statue, covered in flowers for this Catholic dogma. In his prayer, he made special mention of the Jubilee, which will close on January 6: 'May the jubilee hope flourish in Rome and in every corner of the earth, hope in the new world that God prepares and of which you, O Virgin, are like the yolk and the dawn.' 'After the holy doors, may other doors of houses and oases of peace now be opened, where dignity may be reborn, education in non-violence may be carried out, and the art of reconciliation may be learned,' he added. Leo XIV recalled that during this Holy Year, 'many pilgrims from all over the world have walked the streets of this city,' emphasizing that humanity, though tested and sometimes 'crushed,' remains 'a vessel of the Spirit of life.' The Pope also asked the Virgin Mary to 'inspire new intuitions' in the Church, both in Rome and in the local churches that 'gather the joys and hopes, the sorrows and anxieties of our contemporaries, especially the poor and those who suffer.' The pontiff concluded by entrusting himself to the Immaculate to intercede for the city and for all humanity, especially in times of profound changes that seem to leave people 'unprepared and powerless.'
