Before the Regina Coeli

At the end of the Holy Mass celebrated on the forecourt of the Vatican Basilica on the Sunday of Pentecost, Pope Francis led the recital of the Regina Coeli prayer with the faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.

The following are the words of the Holy Father in introduction to the Easter time Marian prayer:

Before the Regina Coeli

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today, the Feast of Pentecost, my Message for the next World Missionary Day is published; the Day is celebrated every year in the month of October. The theme is: Mission at the heart of Christian faith. May the Holy Spirit sustain the mission of the Church throughout the world and give strength to all the missionaries of the Gospel. May the Spirit give peace to all the world and heal the wounds of war and terrorism, that last night, too, in London, struck innocent civilians: let us pray for the victims and their families.

I greet all of you, pilgrims from Italy and from many parts of the world, who have participated in this celebration. In particular, groups from Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of its founding, and also the brothers and sisters of other Christian confessions who join in our prayer. I greet the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians from Latin American countries.

I greet and give my heartfelt thanks to the young people’s choir and orchestra from Carpi, who have performed several hymns during the Holy Mass, in collaboration with the Sistine Chapel Choir.

Let us now invoke the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary. May she obtain for us the grace of being strongly inspired by the Holy Spirit, to bear witness to Christ with evangelical frankness.