(2022.3.23 Vatican News Devin Watkins)
教皇フランシスコは、25日の聖ペトロ大聖堂の共同回心式でのロシアとウクライナの奉献を前にした23日、世界の全司教に緊急の書簡を送り、この奉献に参加かすることを通して、「罪のない人々への暴力と苦痛に終止符を打つため」の普遍教会の確固たる姿勢を示すように、強く求められた。
25日午後5時(日本時間26日午前1時)からの共同回心式は、バチカンのラジオ、YouTube、ウェブサイト、Facebookなどで中継放送され、奉献自体は午後6時半前後に行われる予定だ。
この書簡で教皇は、ウクライナで激しさを増すロシアによる無差別攻撃の「試練を受け続けている人たち」の「測り知れない苦しみ」に深い悲しみを表明され、ウクライナに留まらず、「世界の平和を脅かしています」と指摘。「子の暗黒の瞬間に、教会は、平和の御子の前で仲介に努め、攻撃で直接の影響を受ける人たちと共になることを示すことが、緊急に求められている」と強調された。
(翻訳・編集「カトリック・あい」南條俊二)
*書簡の全文英語公式訳以下の通り。
LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO THE BISHOPS FOR THE ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
Nearly a month has passed since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine that is daily inflicting immense suffering upon its sorely tried people and threatening world peace. At this dark hour, the Church is urgently called to intercede before the Prince of Peace and to demonstrate her closeness to those directly affected by the conflict. I am grateful to the many people who have responded with great generosity to my appeals for prayer, fasting and charity.
Now, also in response to numerous requests by the People of God, I wish in a special way to entrust the nations at war to the Blessed Virgin Mary. As I announced yesterday at the conclusion of the Angelus prayer, on 25 March, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, I intend to carry out a solemn Act of Consecration of humanity, and Russia and Ukraine in particular, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Since it is fitting that we should invoke peace with hearts renewed by God’s forgiveness, the Act of Consecration will take place in the context of a Celebration of Penance to be held in Saint Peter’s Basilica at 5:00 p.m., Rome time. The Act itself will take place about 6:30 p.m.
This Act of Consecration is meant to be a gesture of the universal Church, which in this dramatic moment lifts up to God, through his Mother and ours, the cry of pain of all those who suffer and implore an end to the violence, and to entrust the future of our human family to the Queen of Peace. I ask you to join in this Act by inviting the priests, religious and faithful to assemble in their churches and places of prayer on 25 March, so that God’s Holy People may raise a heartfelt and choral plea to Mary our Mother. I am sending you the text of the prayer of consecration, so that all of us can recite it throughout that day, in fraternal union.
I thank you for the attention you will give to this request and for your ready cooperation. With great affection, I bless you and the faithful entrusted to your pastoral care. May Jesus protect you and the Holy Virgin watch over you. I ask you, please, also to pray for me.
Fraternally,
From Saint John Lateran, 21 March 2022
FRANCIS