MANILA (SE): Archbishop Rino Fisichella presented a golden rose from Pope Francis to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage at the Antipolo Cathedral on February 26, CBCP News reported. This was to celebrate the cathedral’s recent declaration as an international shrine. Archbishop Fisichella also led the mass held on the occasion.
“May this golden rose remain as an enduring sign for future generations,” the archbishop said in his homily.
According to Vatican News, the tradition of presenting a golden rose as a symbol of the papal blessing dates back to the Middle Ages. The gesture has been a way of recognising the commitment of monasteries, shrines, sovereigns, and prominent figures to faith and the common good over the centuries.
Pope Francis has continued this tradition by presenting several golden roses to Marian shrines, including Aparecida in Brazil and Fatima in Portugal in 2017, CBCP News reported. The gesture is a testament to the pope’s commitment to honouring those who have made significant contributions to the faith and the betterment of society.
Archbishop Fisichella said that being an international shrine is not just a privilege “but a mission that must be shared,” adding, “The presence of such a shrine is a sign of grace that calls all of us to a deep witness of faith.”
CBCP News reported the archbishop as saying that the grace experienced by pilgrims to the shrine “needs to be communicated and passed on to others.”
He said, “This international shrine… therefore open to the mission of having no boundaries, but instead, opening wide its doors to welcome all, especially the poor and those in need of consolation and peace.”
Archbishop Fisichella also requested prayers for peace especially “where people suffer unjustly because of the dominance of the violence of war.”
