Archive photo of Pope Francis praying before the icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani (ANSA)
By Vatican News staff reporter
Aug 8 2023
Pope Francis, having returned from his journey to Portugal, makes his 110th visit to the Liberian Basilica to pray to before the icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani, one of the symbols of World Youth Day.
As usual at the end of each Apostolic Journey, after his return from Lisbon on Sunday, 6 August, on the occasion of World Youth Day, Pope Francis went to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray to Our Lady.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope paused to pray before the icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani, which had also been brought to Lisbon for WYD as one of the symbols – together with the pilgrim Cross – of the entire event.
Already ahead of his departure, Pope Francis had gone to the Blessed Virgin to entrust to her his 42nd Apostolic Journey and all the young people who would participate in World Youth Day.
He returned, therefore, on Monday – for the 110th time since the beginning of his pontificate – to thank her for the success of the pilgrimage on Portuguese soil, which was attended by more than one and a half million young people from around the world.
At the end of Monday’s visit, the Pope returned to the Vatican. – Vatican News
