At the end of the Holy Mass for the canonization of five Blesseds, celebrated in front of the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father Francis led the recitation of the Angelus prayer with the faithful and pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square.

The following is the Pope’s introduction to the Marian prayer:

Before the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

Before concluding this Eucharistic Celebration, I would like to greet and thank all of you.

I thank the brother Cardinals and Bishops, as well as the priests, women and men religious, who have come from every part of the world, especially those who belong to the spiritual families of the new Saints. I greet all the lay faithful who have gathered here.

I greet the official Delegations from the various countries, in particular the President of the Italian Republic and His Highness the Prince of Wales. Indeed, with their evangelical witness, these Saints fostered spiritual and social growth in their respective nations.

I offer a special thought to the Delegates of the Anglican Communion, with deep gratitude for their presence, and I also welcome you, dear brother, the new Bishop here in Rome.

I greet all of you, dear pilgrims, as well as those who have followed this Mass via radio and television. I address a special greeting to the faithful from Poland, who today are celebrating the Day of the Pope: I thank them for their prayers and for their constant affection.

And my thoughts go once more to the Middle East. In particular to the beloved and tormented Syria, from which tragic news is once again arriving with regard to the fate of the populations in the North-East of the country, forced to abandon their homes due to military actions: among these populations there are also many Christian families. To all the actors involved and also to the International Community: please, I renew my appeal to commit yourselves, with sincerity, with honesty and with transparency on the path of dialogue to seek effective solutions.

Together with all the members of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region, especially those from Ecuador, I am following with concern what has been happening in recent weeks in that country. I entrust to the common prayer and to the intercession of the new Saints, and I join in the grief for the dead, for those who are injured and missing. I encourage the seeking of social peace, with particular attention to the most vulnerable populations, to the poor and to human rights.

And now let us turn to the Virgin Mary, model of evangelical perfection, that she may help us to follow the example of the new Saints.