After completing his apostolic journey to the Congo and South Sudan from January 31 to February 5, the Pope returned to Rome and visited the Basilica of Mary Major and prayed in front of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, giving thanks for his apostolic journey.
C. Rubini CTC, Vatican News
On his return to Rome from South Sudan, Pope Francis spent a short time in prayer at the Basilica of Mary Major on Sunday and gave thanks as per tradition. This is the 104th time that Papa is coming in front of this mother.
The Pope prayed briefly in front of the ancient icon of Maria Salus Poppoli Romani (‘Salvation of the Roman People’), the Holy See’s news office said. The Pope thanked the Mother for the protection he experienced during his apostolic journey to Congo and South Sudan. The Pope visited the Borghese Chapel in the Papal Basilica on Monday ahead of his departure.
Ancient devotion
Although the origins are much older, tradition holds that the icon of Maria Salus Poppoli Romani arrived in Rome around 590 AD, during the reign of Pope Saint Gregory the Great.
In 1838, Pope Gregory XVI crowned the icon, and a century later, in the Marian year of 1954, Pope Pius XII repeated this devotion. In 2018, the Vatican Museum cleaned and restored the ancient icon.