Pope Francis supports the “Marian theme” of the next World Youth Day in 2019 at Panama. However, he specifies that it is about the “true Virgin Mary”, of “her who is Mother and gives birth to Jesus in our hearts.”
This specification of the Pope was made during an exchange in the Vatican with 140 Superiors General of masculine Religious Congregations on November 25, 2016, in the framework of the 88th General Assembly of the Union of Superiors General (USG) at Rome. Up to now the exchange remained private; L’Osservatore Romano published it in its Italian edition on February 10, 2017.
“The true Virgin Mary,” not “the Virgin of a post office that every day sends a different letter, saying: “My children, you do this and then, tomorrow, you do something else.” No, not that, insists Pope Francis.
“This fashion of the Virgin Mary superstar, as a protagonist that puts herself at the center, isn’t Catholic,” he stated.
The countries of Latin America proposed the “Marian theme” for the next WYD Day. “They asked for this: a strong Marian presence,” said the Pope. “It’s true that Latin America is very Marian,” he continued, “and for me this seems to be a good thing. I have no other suggestions, and I am very happy.”
