At 9.00 this morning, in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, S.J., director of the Aletti Centre, held the first Sermon of Lent, entitled “Taking the axe to the root”.

The theme of the Lenten meditations is the following: “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother” (John 19: 25), Mary in the Paschal mystery of Christ.

The next Sermons of Lent will be held on Friday 20 and 27 March and 3 April.