The Pontiff’s special intercessory prayer and benediction service was held yesterday at 5:55 pm (Vatican City). In India, the faithful attended the service through the help of new media technology which streamed the service live through various channels on Youtube specifically at 10:30 pm. the one-hour long service included Pope Francis reading out the Gospel, praying for the whole of the world. Following the Pastoral letter, intercessory prayers were recited and concluding the same with the benediction of the Holy Sacrament by His Lordship, Pope Francis. The prayer service initially began at the St. Peter’s Square’s Gallery, which receded to the aisle of the Basilica. While finishing up the service at the gallery, the Pontiff was seen venerating the image of the immaculate mother of Jesus and praying to the miraculous crucifix of Jesus Christ which is believed to have saved Italy from a pestilence, dated to the 1900s.
Despite the rain, the Pontiff incessantly stood at the gallery with prayerful hands to atone for the sins of the world. In a time, where the services of the Holy Week seem to be in jeopardy, the Pope offered the special Plenary Indulgence which is given only during the occasions of Easter or Christmas. The otherwise crowded St. Peter’s Square was still as a desert yesterday, while the pope offered his service amidst a very humble gathering of not more than a dozen attendees.
