Latest news with #Genazzano
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hail Mary, full of grace: Why popes and other Catholics pray to the Virgin Mary
GENAZZANO, Italy (AP) — Pope Leo XIV closed his first public blessing as pontiff with a Hail Mary, after invoking the feast day of Our Lady of Pompei. On his first papal trip, he went to the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in the medieval village of Genazzano and on the drive back stopped to pray by Pope Francis' tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. That's just three of a myriad Virgin Marys around the world, whose veneration is central to Catholics from the pope to the ordinary faithful. Even many of the less-than-devout know what it means to throw a Hail Mary. The month of May is dedicated to Marian celebrations, so here's a look at the history and traditions about Mary and why praying to her means so much to so many. One Mary, a myriad titles According to the Gospel, Mary is the mother of Jesus — and the mystery of the incarnation of the son of God through her is central to Christian dogma. The oldest title for Mary is precisely 'mother of God,' or Theotokos in the original Greek. It was chosen after heated theological debate in the first centuries of Christianity. St. Mary Major is the oldest still-standing sanctuary dedicated to that, said Giuseppa Falanga, professor of liturgy at Pontificia Universita della Santa Croce in Rome. It was built on one of Rome's hills in the 5th century — according to tradition, because of the pope's dream and an August snowfall there on what is now also celebrated as the day of Our Lady of the Snows. There are three major categories of titles for Mary — first, those related to dogma and major events in her life. The Assumption on Aug. 15, for instance, celebrates Mary being taken body and soul into heaven. It's marked by Masses and religious festivals but also the peak of summer holidays for faithful and atheists alike in countries such as Italy and Greece, where all but the most essential work grinds to a halt on that feast day. Then there are titles related to apparitions. In December, millions gather in Mexico, and across the Americas, to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe who, according to church tradition, appeared to an Indigenous man in 1531. Millions more visit the sanctuaries in Fatima, Portugal, and in Lourdes, France, other sites of apparitions in the past few centuries. And then there are titles based on what pilgrims and faithful want — from Good Counsel to protection (the many 'Guard' Marys ) to Star of the Sea, invoked by seafarers. 'It's almost like there's a Mary for everything,' said Kayla Harris, professor and director of Marian Library at University of Dayton in Ohio. It's also why the rosary is one of the most widely used prayers — including publicly for the pope — and why popular devotions to the Virgin Mary, including processions and festivals, are so central to Christianity, Falanga said. Different icons, common prayers How Mary is represented, however, varies greatly across time and places, Harris added. There are 'Black' Virgin Marys — dark-skinned paintings and statues like Brazil's much beloved Virgin of Aparecida. In rare icons, she's represented pregnant or as an older woman. She's either portrayed alone or, most often, holding the baby Jesus, as in the Genazzano 15th century painting, a close-up of the two faces with Jesus' fingers holding his mother's neck. Mary looking at Jesus makes a theological point, too — inviting worshippers to fix their gaze on Christ, not her. In fact, according to the Catechism, Catholics are to give Mary special veneration, but not worship her — something reserved for God alone, Falanga said. Motherhood, prayers and the month of May It's that relatability as a mother figure that makes Mary so universally appealing as an intercessor before God, Harris said. Since the 19th century, May has been devoted to the Virgin Mary — though already in Greek and Roman times, goddesses of fertility were celebrated in this month of springtime blooming, she added. Mother's Day is also celebrated in May in many countries, including Italy and the United States — and it coincided with Leo's first public Sunday blessing at noon, a time for another traditional daily invocation to the Virgin Mary. Two mothers who went to morning Mass on a recent weekday at the Genazzano chapel — where the Mary icon stands — said they pray their children, ranging in age from 18 to 24, will keep the faith. 'The Madonna has been holding my hand since I was a child,' said Anastasia Galizia, who grew up in the village and witnessed Leo's visit. 'I ask her how to love her son and I pray for conversion, for me, for my family and for the whole world." At the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome, which is served by Augustinians — Leo's religious order — there are two popular prayer spots for mothers. One is a sculpture known as the 'Labor Madonna' where expecting mothers go; the other is a chapel with the relics of St. Monica, St. Augustine's mother, who prayed incessantly for his conversion. 'We welcome a lot of moms, who come to pray to St. Monica for their children, who have walked away from the faith, and they ask the Lord for the gift to touch their hearts,' said the Rev. Pasquale Cormio, the basilica's rector. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
The Independent
17-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Hail Mary, full of grace: Why popes and other Catholics pray to the Virgin Mary
Pope Leo XIV closed his first public blessing as pontiff with a Hail Mary, after invoking the feast day of Our Lady of Pompei. On his first papal trip, he went to the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in the medieval village of Genazzano and on the drive back stopped to pray by Pope Francis' tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. That's just three of a myriad Virgin Marys around the world, whose veneration is central to Catholics from the pope to the ordinary faithful. Even many of the less-than-devout know what it means to throw a Hail Mary. The month of May is dedicated to Marian celebrations, so here's a look at the history and traditions about Mary and why praying to her means so much to so many. One Mary, a myriad titles According to the Gospel, Mary is the mother of Jesus — and the mystery of the incarnation of the son of God through her is central to Christian dogma. The oldest title for Mary is precisely 'mother of God,' or Theotokos in the original Greek. It was chosen after heated theological debate in the first centuries of Christianity. St. Mary Major is the oldest still-standing sanctuary dedicated to that, said Giuseppa Falanga, professor of liturgy at Pontificia Universita della Santa Croce in Rome. It was built on one of Rome's hills in the 5th century — according to tradition, because of the pope's dream and an August snowfall there on what is now also celebrated as the day of Our Lady of the Snows. There are three major categories of titles for Mary — first, those related to dogma and major events in her life. The Assumption on Aug. 15, for instance, celebrates Mary being taken body and soul into heaven. It's marked by Masses and religious festivals but also the peak of summer holidays for faithful and atheists alike in countries such as Italy and Greece, where all but the most essential work grinds to a halt on that feast day. Then there are titles related to apparitions. In December, millions gather in Mexico, and across the Americas, to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe who, according to church tradition, appeared to an Indigenous man in 1531. Millions more visit the sanctuaries in Fatima, Portugal, and in Lourdes, France, other sites of apparitions in the past few centuries. And then there are titles based on what pilgrims and faithful want — from Good Counsel to protection (the many 'Guard' Marys ) to Star of the Sea, invoked by seafarers. 'It's almost like there's a Mary for everything,' said Kayla Harris, professor and director of Marian Library at University of Dayton in Ohio. It's also why the rosary is one of the most widely used prayers — including publicly for the pope — and why popular devotions to the Virgin Mary, including processions and festivals, are so central to Christianity, Falanga said. Different icons, common prayers How Mary is represented, however, varies greatly across time and places, Harris added. There are 'Black' Virgin Marys — dark-skinned paintings and statues like Brazil's much beloved Virgin of Aparecida. In rare icons, she's represented pregnant or as an older woman. She's either portrayed alone or, most often, holding the baby Jesus, as in the Genazzano 15th century painting, a close-up of the two faces with Jesus' fingers holding his mother's neck. Mary looking at Jesus makes a theological point, too — inviting worshippers to fix their gaze on Christ, not her. In fact, according to the Catechism, Catholics are to give Mary special veneration, but not worship her — something reserved for God alone, Falanga said. Motherhood, prayers and the month of May It's that relatability as a mother figure that makes Mary so universally appealing as an intercessor before God, Harris said. Since the 19th century, May has been devoted to the Virgin Mary — though already in Greek and Roman times, goddesses of fertility were celebrated in this month of springtime blooming, she added. Mother's Day is also celebrated in May in many countries, including Italy and the United States — and it coincided with Leo's first public Sunday blessing at noon, a time for another traditional daily invocation to the Virgin Mary. Two mothers who went to morning Mass on a recent weekday at the Genazzano chapel — where the Mary icon stands — said they pray their children, ranging in age from 18 to 24, will keep the faith. 'The Madonna has been holding my hand since I was a child,' said Anastasia Galizia, who grew up in the village and witnessed Leo's visit. 'I ask her how to love her son and I pray for conversion, for me, for my family and for the whole world." At the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome, which is served by Augustinians — Leo's religious order — there are two popular prayer spots for mothers. One is a sculpture known as the 'Labor Madonna' where expecting mothers go; the other is a chapel with the relics of St. Monica, St. Augustine's mother, who prayed incessantly for his conversion. 'We welcome a lot of moms, who come to pray to St. Monica for their children, who have walked away from the faith, and they ask the Lord for the gift to touch their hearts,' said the Rev. Pasquale Cormio, the basilica's rector. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press
17-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Hail Mary, full of grace: Why popes and other Catholics pray to the Virgin Mary
GENAZZANO, Italy (AP) — Pope Leo XIV closed his first public blessing as pontiff with a Hail Mary, after invoking the feast day of Our Lady of Pompei. On his first papal trip, he went to the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in the medieval village of Genazzano and on the drive back stopped to pray by Pope Francis' tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. That's just three of a myriad Virgin Marys around the world, whose veneration is central to Catholics from the pope to the ordinary faithful. Even many of the less-than-devout know what it means to throw a Hail Mary. The month of May is dedicated to Marian celebrations, so here's a look at the history and traditions about Mary and why praying to her means so much to so many. One Mary, a myriad titles According to the Gospel, Mary is the mother of Jesus — and the mystery of the incarnation of the son of God through her is central to Christian dogma. The oldest title for Mary is precisely 'mother of God,' or Theotokos in the original Greek. It was chosen after heated theological debate in the first centuries of Christianity. St. Mary Major is the oldest still-standing sanctuary dedicated to that, said Giuseppa Falanga, professor of liturgy at Pontificia Universita della Santa Croce in Rome. It was built on one of Rome's hills in the 5th century — according to tradition, because of the pope's dream and an August snowfall there on what is now also celebrated as the day of Our Lady of the Snows. There are three major categories of titles for Mary — first, those related to dogma and major events in her life. The Assumption on Aug. 15, for instance, celebrates Mary being taken body and soul into heaven. It's marked by Masses and religious festivals but also the peak of summer holidays for faithful and atheists alike in countries such as Italy and Greece, where all but the most essential work grinds to a halt on that feast day. Then there are titles related to apparitions. In December, millions gather in Mexico, and across the Americas, to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe who, according to church tradition, appeared to an Indigenous man in 1531. Millions more visit the sanctuaries in Fatima, Portugal, and in Lourdes, France, other sites of apparitions in the past few centuries. And then there are titles based on what pilgrims and faithful want — from Good Counsel to protection (the many 'Guard' Marys ) to Star of the Sea, invoked by seafarers. 'It's almost like there's a Mary for everything,' said Kayla Harris, professor and director of Marian Library at University of Dayton in Ohio. It's also why the rosary is one of the most widely used prayers — including publicly for the pope — and why popular devotions to the Virgin Mary, including processions and festivals, are so central to Christianity, Falanga said. Different icons, common prayers How Mary is represented, however, varies greatly across time and places, Harris added. There are 'Black' Virgin Marys — dark-skinned paintings and statues like Brazil's much beloved Virgin of Aparecida. In rare icons, she's represented pregnant or as an older woman. She's either portrayed alone or, most often, holding the baby Jesus, as in the Genazzano 15th century painting, a close-up of the two faces with Jesus' fingers holding his mother's neck. Mary looking at Jesus makes a theological point, too — inviting worshippers to fix their gaze on Christ, not her. In fact, according to the Catechism, Catholics are to give Mary special veneration, but not worship her — something reserved for God alone, Falanga said. Motherhood, prayers and the month of May It's that relatability as a mother figure that makes Mary so universally appealing as an intercessor before God, Harris said. Since the 19th century, May has been devoted to the Virgin Mary — though already in Greek and Roman times, goddesses of fertility were celebrated in this month of springtime blooming, she added. Mother's Day is also celebrated in May in many countries, including Italy and the United States — and it coincided with Leo's first public Sunday blessing at noon, a time for another traditional daily invocation to the Virgin Mary. Two mothers who went to morning Mass on a recent weekday at the Genazzano chapel — where the Mary icon stands — said they pray their children, ranging in age from 18 to 24, will keep the faith. 'The Madonna has been holding my hand since I was a child,' said Anastasia Galizia, who grew up in the village and witnessed Leo's visit. 'I ask her how to love her son and I pray for conversion, for me, for my family and for the whole world.' At the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome, which is served by Augustinians — Leo's religious order — there are two popular prayer spots for mothers. One is a sculpture known as the 'Labor Madonna' where expecting mothers go; the other is a chapel with the relics of St. Monica, St. Augustine's mother, who prayed incessantly for his conversion. 'We welcome a lot of moms, who come to pray to St. Monica for their children, who have walked away from the faith, and they ask the Lord for the gift to touch their hearts,' said the Rev. Pasquale Cormio, the basilica's rector. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Pope Leo's fellow Augustinian brothers look forward to papacy marked by unity and focus on Jesus
A new photo of Leo XIV stands by frescoes representing past papal visits to a Virgin Mary icon in the Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel, commemorating where he prayed two days after being elected pope. But the new pontiff is still 'Father Bob' to the handful of Augustinian friars who serve in the basilica in a hilltop medieval village — and the tight-knit community of Augustinians worldwide. They knew Leo when he was their global leader, seminary teacher or simply fellow brother in black habits with thick belts and large hooded capes. 'With Father Robert, then Very Rev. Prior General, we have had to change the names, but Father Bob … we realize the person hasn't changed at all, it's still him,' said the Rev. Alberto Giovannetti, 78. He was born in Genazzano in the wooded hills outside Rome and entered the seminary at age 11. He remembers a day in 2001 when he was struggling with the responsibility of a new position and then-Prior General Prevost comforted him. 'He gave me courage, 'Stay calm, the less adequate you feel, the more you're fit for it,' that was the meaning,' Giovannetti said. 'I think it's what's guiding him now as well, that real humbleness that doesn't make you feel weak, but rather makes you feel not alone.' St. Augustine and brotherly leadership It's a style of brotherly leadership that was crucial to St. Augustine, who inspired the order that's found itself in an unusual spotlight ever since Leo's first public blessing from St. Peter's Basilica. 'He resolutely affirmed, 'I'm a son of Augustine, I'm Augustinian,' and this filled us all with pride. We're feeling like the pope's friars,' said the Rev. Pasquale Cormio, rector of Rome's Basilica of St. Augustine. Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, was a Jesuit who took the name of the founder of the Franciscans. The Jesuit order is widely known for its scholarly star-power, while the Franciscans appeal to many because of the order's down-to-earth charity. The Augustinian order is a bit of a paradox — it remains as unassuming as when it was first organized in the mid-13th century as a union of mendicant orders, yet traces its origins to one of the most influential thinkers in Christian and Western culture. And now the friars are expecting that 'Father Bob' will bring some of St. Augustine's spiritual trademarks to the wider church. Augustinian spirituality 'Augustinian spirituality is founded on these words of St. Augustine — a single heart, a single soul oriented toward God, that is to say, toward unity,' said the Rev. Lizardo Estrada, who was a student of Leo's in seminary. 'That's why you can sum it up in four words, I'd say — community, interiority, charity and obedience.' For Augustinians, the foundation of a godly life is seeking truth with the help of Scriptures and sacraments, finding it as God's presence inside one's heart — the 'interiority' — and then taking that knowledge outward to help others. 'You can't adore the Lord every day, pray every day, and not find God in the vulnerable, in the humble, in those working the fields, in the Amazonian peoples,' said Estrada, who is secretary general of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Conference. 'You can't know God inside you, have that knowledge, and stay put.' The order has certainly been on a journey — part of St. Augustine's enduring appeal is that he was a 'seeker' who introduced the concept of introspection as a way to happiness. Born in what today is Algeria in the 4th century, he embraced his mother's Christian faith during travels in Italy and went on to write some of history's pivotal spiritual and philosophical treatises. His answers to perennial questions such as free will versus predestination, true faith versus heresy, even issues addressing leadership, gender and sexuality continue to inform Western culture today, said Colleen Mitchell, a scholar with Villanova University's Augustinian Institute. The Augustinians since the Middle Ages As both male and female monastic communities started following him, St. Augustine wrote the basics of a 'rule' or the charter for an order, which was eventually assigned some eight centuries later by the pope to medieval hermits in Tuscany to form a single union. Today, the order of some 3,000 friars is active in 50 countries, with universities like Villanova in Pennsylvania and some 150,000 children enrolled in Augustinian schools. They operate missions across Africa, are growing in Asia, and run historic and artwork-filled churches across Europe, including Santo Spirito in Florence — for which a young Michelangelo sculpted a crucifix as a thank-you gift since the friars had allowed him access to their hospital to learn anatomy, said the prior general, the Rev. Alejandro Moral. 'The search for truth is very important because as St. Augustine put it, truth is not yours or mine, it's ours. And we have to engage in dialogue to find that truth and, once we have found it, walk together, because we both want to follow truth,' Moral told The Associated Press from the Augustinians' headquarters in Rome. A brother pope The large, unpretentious complex is next to the spectacular colonnade that encircles St. Peter's Square. Jubilant friars huddled at the windows cheering when Leo was announced as pope. A few days later, the pope joined them for a surprise lunch and the birthday celebration of a brother, showing the attention to fraternity that is an Augustinian point of pride. 'He puts you at ease, he has this way of being near that … always struck me even when he was prior general, and he's kept up that style as cardinal and now as pope,' said the Rev. Gabriele Pedicino, the provincial for Italy. He added that finding unity in diversity is another pillar of Augustinian thought that he expects Leo will promote. 'The diversity among brothers — I think that the pope will labor so that increasingly inside and outside the church, we can recognize the other, the different, not as a danger, not as an enemy, but as someone to love, someone who makes our life richer and more beautiful,' Pedicino said. Various friars found inspiration in the pope's motto, 'in illo uno unum' — Latin for 'in the one Christ, we are one' and derived from St. Augustine's sermons about Christian unity. He lived through times of division. A millennium later a former Augustinian, Martin Luther, broke with Catholicism and launched the Protestant Reformation. As today's Catholic Church also struggles with polarization, reestablishing a core unity centered in Jesus is a message that resonates widely. 'It's not like we're better than anybody else, we're all the same, and when we engage in dialogue, we need to realize that we need to greatly respect the other,' Moral said. 'I believe that this is fundamental to our mission — to listen, to respect, and to love. Pope Leo has this straightforward simplicity.' ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
SBS Australia
11-05-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Evening News Bulletin 11 May 2025
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with . TRANSCRIPT Hopes a ceasefire deal between India and Pakistan holds A partyroom vote to determine the leader of the Nationals Party In cycling, Josh Tarling celebrates his maiden Grand Tour stage victory US President Donald Trump has praised the leaders of India and Pakistan, after an agreement for an immediate ceasefire was reached. Both sides have traded accusations of truce violations, but the ceasefire appears to be holding for now. In a statement on social media, Mr Trump says he is proud of the role the US played in mediating the deal. At least 60 people have been killed in days of deadly fighting this week, described as the worst violence between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in decades over the flashpoint region of Kashmir. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says it is in everyone's interest to ensure the ceasefire holds. "We've been engaged for some days now trying to de-escalate, speaking to both sides through the foreign secretary and his counterparts. So I'm pleased to see there's a ceasefire. And I think the issue now is to make that an enduring and lasting ceasefire, because this is a very concerning situation. So more positive views today for the ceasefire. But the task now is to make sure that that is enduring and it's lasting." Pope Leo XIV has made his first trip outside the Vatican, heading about an hour's drive east of Rome to the small Italian town called Genazzano where he visited a shrine to the Virgin Mary. The newly elected pope is a member of the Augustinian religious order, which runs the shrine. Broadcaster TV2000, who were the only TV media present for the visit, captured the new pontiff speaking Italian to a crowd outside the shrine. "I am very happy that I can be here with you. You have such a great gift with the presence of the Mother of Good Counsel. I would like to greet all the young people. May we live with this spirit of enthusiasm trying to follow Jesus Christ, following that beautiful example of our mother Mary." Nationals leader David Littleproud says he welcomes the challenge from Queensland senator Matt Canavan for the role of leader of the party. The outcome of the federal election results has triggered the process of a leadership contest for the Liberals, Nationals and the Greens. The rules for National Party set out the procedure for an automatic leadership contest, following a federal election. Mr Littleproud told Channel Nine, the result will be known after the partyroom meeting in Canberra tomorrow. "The Nationals primary vote held up, but the Liberals didn't. I'm proud of my record. I am comfortable in my own skin. It is the partyroom's decision. I will have those conversations with those members of the partyroom in a respectful way. And whatever happens, happens. But I am still committed to the National Party and all that we have done and all we will achieve. And I think it is important a strong opposition as well to hold the government to account. I think that is what our democracy is about. I think at the end of this week, both sides will settle down; and we will get on with the job." Organisers say more than 90,000 people participated in the annual Mother's Day Classic fun run and walk event to raise money for breast and ovarian cancer. This year, people took part across 85 locations around Australia. The co-founder of the Mother's Day Classic, Louise Davidson, says it is incredible to see the event grow over the last 27 years. "It is just amazing isn't it? I really love it that so many people get out of bed. They don't have brekky (breakfast) in bed. They come down to the Tan Track (Melbourne's most popular running route) and raise money for breast and ovarian cancer research. The first year we did it in Melbourne, we had about 1200 people. And even then I thought: 'oh my god, that's amazing! Look at all these people.' And now there are tens of thousands of people here." In cycling, Welshman Joshua Tarling has won stage two of the Giro d'Italia by one second - ahead of race favourite Primoz Roglic. The 21-year-old is youngest rider to win a Giro time-trial. Australian Jay Vine came in third, three seconds behind Tarling in the short 13.7km individual time-trial in the capital of Albania. Tarling says he is pleased to achieve his first Grand Tour stage victory in only his second time competing in a Grand Tour. "(It's) super, super special. You know I think we have the confidence now as well. I'm looking forward to the next one. So it's a good way to start. Obviously, the classics were first - and then straight away after this it was switch on. And we look forward to this. Especially, because I thought it suited me quite well with all the corners."
