On the stage set up on the esplanade of Tor Vergata Park for the World Youth Day 2000 in Rome, an additional symbol appeared beside the Pilgrim Cross that accompanies every edition of WYD around the world: the icon Salus Populi Romani (“Salvation of the Roman People”). What is special about this icon that is part of the WYD symbols that travel the world?
The Marian icon is a replica of the painting kept in the Pauline Chapel of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. Pope Francis visits this basilica and prays before this icon before and after each of his apostolic trips. This icon has been a sign of God’s protection and love for many centuries, especially for the people of Rome, expressed in the care of Mother Mary! It is an ancient custom to carry it in procession through the streets of Rome to ward off dangers and misfortunes or to put an end to plagues.
A MOTHER FOR THE YOUTH
On April 13, 2003, Pope St. John Paul II handed over the WYD symbols to the young people who would be preparing for the 2005 WYD in Cologne, Germany. And for the first time, he added the Salus Populi Romani icon, measuring 1.20 meters high and 80 centimeters wide.
At the end of the Angelus prayer, the Pope makes the announcement: “To the delegation coming from Germany I hand over the Icon of Mary. From now on, together with the Cross, it will accompany the World Youth Days. Behold your Mother! It will be a sign of Mary’s maternal presence beside the young people, called, like the apostle John, to welcome her into their lives.”
The young people who receive the symbol of Maria Salus Populi Romani know that they have a Mother— a Mother who looks after them, who loves them, who cares for them and who, just like the icon, wants to take them in her arms and, with a beautiful love, wants to see them happy and protected from the many deviations and dangers to which they are so often exposed in their lives.
Pope John Paul II wanted to propose to young people in this gesture that they welcome Mary into their homes (John 19:25-27). What does this welcoming Mary into my home mean? And how can I welcome Mary into my home? Let’s look at some ways in which we can do it.
1. Welcoming Mary into my life: It means looking at the life of Mary, who contemplated all things in her heart, and doing as she did: listening and learning from Her Son every day. And then to try to make the attitudes of the Mother of Jesus also my attitudes, made concrete in the gestures and decisions of my life every day.
2. To welcome Mary into my intimacy: It means to have the same feelings and attitudes of Mary in my life: availability to collaborate in God’s project even when we don’t understand it; an attitude of openness and listening to understand and learn what God is telling me and showing me differently, meditating all these things in my heart, like Mary!
3. Welcoming Mary in what is most valuable to me: For Mary, the most valuable thing she had was her Son! She did not claim any attention for herself even though she was the mother of that Man who touched the hearts of so many people! Mary never wanted to take the spotlight for herself. On the contrary, she led everyone to what was most valuable to her: her Son Jesus. That is why she said to the servants at the wedding feast at Cana: “Do whatever He tells you!” (John 2:1-11).
