GREETING OF JOHN PAUL II 
TO THE PARTICIPANTS 
IN THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MARIOLOGY FORUM  

Tuesday, 31 October 2000

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

At the end of this prayer meeting, which is held every day here in St Peter's Square, I would like to greet you with affection. I extend my greeting to His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, Patriarch of Jerusalem for Latins, who has brought to our prayer this evening a reminder of the critical situation of those people who are so dear to me. In a special way I greet you, dear participants in the first International Mariology Forum, who have concluded your congress held in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the dogmatic proclamation of Blessed Mary's Assumption body and soul into heaven.

I would like to express my appreciation to the International Marian Academy, the Marianum Theological Faculty and the Italian Interdisciplinary Mariological Association for organizing this programme, which fits in well with the Jubilee events.

We have reached the Solemnity of All Saints. The reflections on the truth of the Blessed Virgin's Assumption into heaven have been made on the eve of this great feast and of the one we will celebrate the day after tomorrow, All Souls Day. Mary, the first of the redeemed, shines before us as a lamp guiding the way for all humanity and reminding us of the ultimate goal to which everyone is called:  holiness and eternal life.

May her powerful intercession help us, who call upon her as "our life, our sweetness and our hope", always to live with our lives focused on heaven, where she reigns as Queen. May she constantly intercede for us from heaven. With these sentiments, I bless you all.

© Copyright 2000 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana