In a letter to the diocese’s Catholics, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope’s vicar for Rome, said: «We will pray with the Pope and for the Pope, thanking God for having given him to us and asking him to keep our beloved Father for a long time.»
The official celebration of the 25th anniversary of the pontificate occurs three days later, on Oct. 19, at the Mass the Pope will preside over in St. Peter’s Square for the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Cardinal Ruini has prepared liturgical material for the occasion, including meditations on the rosary and readings for reflection during eucharistic adoration.
The faithful can request free tickets to the thanksgiving Mass from segreteriagenerale@vicariatusurbis.org.
