VATICAN CITY — While Pope Francis recuperates in a Roman hospital, a multitude of believers from various corners of the globe are congregating near St. Peter’s Basilica and by the hospital, uniting in prayer through the rosary for his recovery.
The rosary, a prayer tradition tracing back to the Middle Ages and gaining significant popularity in the 16th century, remains one of Christianity’s most recognizable symbols. These beads, often fashioned from materials ranging from the sacred olive wood of the Holy Land to simple plastics, are cherished by young and old alike, adorning monks’ belts and dangling from car mirrors.
Repetitive prayer is a common element across several religions. For Catholics, the rosary entails systematically reciting one “Our Father” and ten “Hail Marys,” repeated five times. Each “decade” begins with a meditation on mysteries concerning the lives of Jesus and Mary, which vary according to the day of the week—from the “glorious” mysteries like Mary’s assumption to “sorrowful” ones like Jesus carrying the cross up Calvary.
The Rev. Enzo Fortunato, a Franciscan instrumental in organizing World Children’s Day at the Vatican, articulates Mary’s pivotal role in the spiritual lives of Catholics: “Mary is the mediator between God and humankind. We turn to Mary as children, with the certainty that she listens to us like a mother.”
Individuals and groups alike embrace the rosary, whether at home, on pilgrimage, or within church walls, similar to how it is being practiced for Pope Francis. In Lourdes, France, the Basilica dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary stands as one of Europe’s top pilgrimage destinations, emphasizing the connection between Mary and this devotion.
Praying the rosary for those who are unwell is a long-standing tradition, and the group vigils that commenced in St. Peter’s Square on February 24 recalled the poignant gatherings that occurred when St. John Paul II was in the hospital near the end of his papacy in 2005.
“The rosary is a straightforward prayer that demands no special expertise,” explained Fermín Labarga, an esteemed professor of church history at Spain’s University of Navarra. “It provides a means for us to pray in the manner of Mary, with unwavering focus on Christ.”
