また教皇は、これまで世界の多くの信徒が、ご自身の呼びかけに応えて、ウクライナの人々のために祈り、断食し、そして慈善活動などで協力してくれていることに感謝されるとともに、天使がマリアに神の子イエス・キリストの受胎を告知したことを記念する25日に、ロシアとウクライナのマリアの穢れなき御心への奉献に共に参加するよう、全世界の司教たちに促された。
さらに、この日の共同回心式の中で、奉献をすることは、「私たちが、神の赦しを得て、新たな心で平和を求めることを可能にするため、特にふさわしいものとなります」と語られた。
奉献の意味について、教皇は「私たちの人間の家族の未来を平和の女王に委ねるこの行為には、神の母マリアと私たちを通して、暴力に苦しみ、暴力の終焉を懇願するすべての人々の痛みの叫びを神に上げる、普遍的な教会の姿勢を示すことが意図されています」と説明。
25日に、世界のすべての司教、司祭、修道者、信徒がそれぞれの祈りの場に集まり、神の聖なる民が私たちの母マリアに、心からの嘆願に声を合わせることを願われた。そのために、この書簡に奉献に使うテキストを添付し、誰もが「その日を通して、兄弟姉妹が共に暗唱する」ことができるようにした、とされた。
書簡の最後に、教皇は、25日の奉献にすべての人が注意を傾け、準備に協力してくれていることに感謝を宣べ、司教たちと信徒たちを祝福を送られ、 「イエスがあなた方を守り、聖母があなた方を見守ってくださいますように」と祈られた。
LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO THE BISHOPS FOR THE ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
Dear Brother,
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