APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO CUBA, TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND VISIT TO THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS
(19-28 SEPTEMBER 2015)

PRAYER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
TO THE "VIRGEN DE LA CARIDAD"

Shrine of the “Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre” (Santiago de Cuba)
Monday, 21 September 2015

[Multimedia]

Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre,
Patroness of Cuba!
Hail, Mary,
full of grace!
You are the beloved Daughter of the Father,
Mother of Christ, our God,
the living Temple
of the Holy Spirit.

You carry in your name,
Virgin of Charity,
the memory of God who is Love,
the memory of the new commandments of Jesus,
the evocation of the Holy Spirit:
love poured into our hearts,
the fire of charity
sent on Pentecost
upon the Church,
the gift of the full freedom
of the children of God.

Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit
of your womb, Jesus!
You came to visit our people
And you chose to remain with us
As Mother and Lady of Cuba,
on our pilgrimage
through the paths of history.

Your name and your image
are carved
into the hearts and minds
of all Cubans,
both in the Country and abroad,
as a sign of hope
and the centre of brotherly communion.
Holy Mary, Mother of God
and our Mother!

Pray for us
before your Son Jesus Christ,
intercede for us
with your motherly heart,
flooded with the love of the Holy Spirit.
Increase our faith,
awaken our hope,
broaden and strengthen our love.

Watch over our families,
protect our young people and our children,
console those who suffer.
Be the mother of the faithful
and of the pastors of the Church,
model and star of the new evangelization.

Mother of reconciliation!
Gather your people
scattered around the earth.
Make of our Cuban nation
a house of brothers and sisters
that this people may open wide
her mind, her heart
and her life to Christ,
the one Saviour and Redeemer,
who lives and reigns with the Father
and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever.

Amen.