Overview
- During the Dec. 8 Angelus, Pope Leo XIV urged believers to “believe as Mary believed,” renewing a daily yes to God through prayer and concrete acts of love.
- He taught that the grace of the Immaculate Conception is echoed in Baptism, which cleanses original sin and makes Christians children of God.
- The pope entrusted to Mary a constant prayer for peace before pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
- Continuing a long-standing ritual, he visited Rome’s Piazza di Spagna to honor the statue of the Immaculate Conception, offering flowers as the city’s leaders welcomed him.
- Vatican reports said about 30,000 people attended the Piazza event, while the White House issued a Presidential Message recognizing the feast and Mary’s role in American history.