Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The month of May is approaching, a time when the People of God express with particular
intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is traditional in this month to
pray the Rosary at home within the family. The restrictions of the pandemic have made us
come to appreciate all the more this “family” aspect, also from a spiritual point of view.
For this reason, I want to encourage everyone to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at
home in the month of May. This can be done either as a group or individually; you can decide
according to your own situations, making the most of both opportunities. The key to doing this
is always simplicity, and it is easy also on the internet to find good models of prayers to follow.
I am also providing two prayers to Our Lady that you can recite at the end of the Rosary, and
that I myself will pray in the month of May, in spiritual union with all of you. I include them with
this letter so that they are available to everyone.
Dear brothers and sisters, contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother
will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial. I
keep all of you in my prayers, especially those suffering most greatly, and I ask you, please, to
pray for me. I thank you, and with great affection I send you my blessing.
Rome, Saint John Lateran, 25 April 2020
Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist
Pope Francis
O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the foot of the cross,
were united with Jesus’ suffering,
and persevered in your faith.
“Protectress of the Roman people”,
you know our needs,
and we know that you will provide,
so that, as at Cana in Galilee,
joy and celebration may return
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform ourselves to the will of the Father
and to do what Jesus tells us.
For he took upon himself our suffering,
and burdened himself with our sorrows
to bring us, through the cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection.
Amen.
We fly to your protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
from every danger,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
Second Prayer
“We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God”.
In the present tragic situation, when the whole world is prey to suffering and anxiety, we fly to
you, Mother of God and our Mother, and seek refuge under your protection.
Virgin Mary, turn your merciful eyes towards us amid this coronavirus pandemic. Comfort those
who are distraught and mourn their loved ones who have died, and at times are buried in a way
that grieves them deeply. Be close to those who are concerned for their loved ones who are
sick and who, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, cannot be close to them. Fill with
hope those who are troubled by the uncertainty of the future and the consequences for the
economy and employment.
Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us to God, the Father of mercies, that this great
suffering may end and that hope and peace may dawn anew. Plead with your divine Son, as
you did at Cana, so that the families of the sick and the victims be comforted, and their hearts
be opened to confidence and trust.
Protect those doctors, nurses, health workers and volunteers who are on the frontline of this
emergency, and are risking their lives to save others. Support their heroic effort and grant them
strength, generosity and continued health.
Be close to those who assist the sick night and day, and to priests who, in their pastoral
concern and fidelity to the Gospel, are trying to help and support everyone.
Blessed Virgin, illumine the minds of men and women engaged in scientific research, that they
may find effective solutions to overcome this virus.
Support national leaders, that with wisdom, solicitude and generosity they may come to the aid
of those lacking the basic necessities of life and may devise social and economic solutions
inspired by farsightedness and solidarity.
Mary Most Holy, stir our consciences, so that the enormous funds invested in developing and
stockpiling arms will instead be spent on promoting effective research on how to prevent similar
tragedies from occurring in the future.
Beloved Mother, help us realize that we are all members of one great family and to recognize
the bond that unites us, so that, in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity, we can help to alleviate
countless situations of poverty and need. Make us strong in faith, persevering in service,
constant in prayer.
Mary, Consolation of the afflicted, embrace all your children in distress and pray that God will
stretch out his all-powerful hand and free us from this terrible pandemic, so that life can
serenely resume its normal course.
To you, who shine on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope, do we entrust ourselves, O
Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.