Tuesday morning, Pope Francis traveled to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pray for the success of his 26th Apostolic Visit abroad to the Central American country Panama, Jan. 23-27, 2019, for the occasion of the XXXIV World Youth Day, reported Director ‘ad interim’ of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, on his Twitter.
The Holy Father almost always visits Rome’s Marian Basilica to pray for Mary’s protection and intercession before and after his papal trips.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope prayed before the ancient image of Mary, Salus Populi Romani, and invoked the Virgin Mary’s protection on his travels and upon the people he will visit in the country in the week ahead.
