VATICAN - THE POPE SAYS AT DECEMBER 8 ANGELUS PRAYER: “FAITH SHOWS US THAT THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY IS A PROMISE OF SALVATION FOR EVERY HUMAN CREATURE PILGRIM ON EARTH. FAITH REMINDS IS THAT MARY IS OUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN THE DIFFICULT BATTLE AGAINST SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES ”

Vatican City (Fides Service) – Addressing from his window the crowds gathered in St Peters Square for the midday Angelus prayer and blessing on December 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a bank holiday in Italy and other countries, the Pope said: “If Christ is the Day which known no sunset, Mary is its splendid dawn of beauty. Chosen to be the Mother of the Incarnate Word, Mary is also the first fruit of Christ’s salvation.”
Mary is "full of grace" (Lk 1,28), the Pope said, underlining that, “the human mind can never claim to understand such a great wonder and mystery. It is faith which reveals to us that the Immaculate Conception of Mary is a promise of salvation for every human creature, pilgrim on earth. Again it is faith which reminds us that, due to her singular condition, Mary is our unwavering support in the difficult battle against sin and its consequences.”
Lastly the Holy Father invited those present to join him later in the day in Piazza di Spagna, for the prayer at the foot of the statue of Immaculate Mary and he said: “Blessed Pope Pius IX had the statue placed on the column in lasting memory of the dogma of her Immaculate Conception proclaimed on 8 December 1854. With this pilgrimage this evening we will start the 150th anniversary of that solemn act of the Church’s Magisterium.”

Vatican City (Fides Service) – Addressing from his window the crowds gathered in St Peters Square for the midday Angelus prayer and blessing on December 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a bank holiday in Italy and other countries, the Pope said: “If Christ is the Day which known no sunset, Mary is its splendid dawn of beauty. Chosen to be the Mother of the Incarnate Word, Mary is also the first fruit of Christ’s salvation.”
Mary is "full of grace" (Lk 1,28), the Pope said, underlining that, “the human mind can never claim to understand such a great wonder and mystery. It is faith which reveals to us that the Immaculate Conception of Mary is a promise of salvation for every human creature, pilgrim on earth. Again it is faith which reminds us that, due to her singular condition, Mary is our unwavering support in the difficult battle against sin and its consequences.”
Lastly the Holy Father invited those present to join him later in the day in Piazza di Spagna, for the prayer at the foot of the statue of Immaculate Mary and he said: “Blessed Pope Pius IX had the statue placed on the column in lasting memory of the dogma of her Immaculate Conception proclaimed on 8 December 1854. With this pilgrimage this evening we will start the 150th anniversary of that solemn act of the Church’s Magisterium.”

(S.L.) (Fides Service 9/12/2003 – lines 18; word 243)

(S.L.) (Fides Service 9/12/2003 – lines 18; word 243)