During his trip this week to Brazil for World Youth Day 2013 he visited the Shrine of Aparecida. It is one of the largest shrines in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He told those present that he had come to place the people of Latin America under the intercessory protection of Our Lady.
Pope Francis went on to say that "it is from Mary that the Church learns true discipleship."
This is not the first time Pope Francis has turned to Our Lady and sought her protection and guidance. The Holy Father recalled during the visit that he consecrated his pontificate to Our Lady at the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome.
Pope Francis prayed silently in front of the 15 inch statue of Our Lady of Aparecia, the "Black Mary." His eyes began to tear up and he was visibly moved as he prayed before Our Lady. He later was given a replica of the statue and carried it in his arms. He made a promise to those present that he would again return to this Shrine in 2017 to honor the 300 year anniversary of the finding of the statue of Our Lady of Aparecia in a nearby river.
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Creepy, this is why I didn't return to the Catholic church. I became a Christian in 1986 after leaving the Roman Catholic Church in the late 70's. How sad to see this blasphemous behavior and this church leading so many people to Hell.
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