priests who participated in the rite, proceeded to the vestibule of the
Basilica
to open the Holy Door. First, he greeted and embraced Pope emeritus Benedict
XVI, and then walked alone to the Door where he recited the words of Psalm 118:
"Open to me the gates of justice".
 Francis pushed against the Door with his hands until it opens and then prayed
a
moment before entering the Basilica. The Pope emeritus then entered, followed
by
the cardinals, bishops, religious and laypeople, including some of Italy's most
prominent political figures.
 The Jubilee of Mercy is the first extraordinary Jubilee of the 21st century.
In
the 20th century Pius XI proclaimed a Holy Year in 1933 to commemorate the
nineteenth centenary of the death of Christ, and Paul VI inaugurated another in
1966 that lasted five months, dedicated to the closure shortly beforehand of
Vatican Council II. St. John Paul II convoked a Jubilee with the Bull "Aperite
Portas Redemptori" the Holy Year of Redemption in 1983, for the 1950th
anniversary of the Redemption.

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 Angelus: the Solemnity of the Immaculate reminds us that mercy is all
 Vatican City, 8 December 2015 (VIS) - After the opening of the Holy Door, Pope
Francis appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. On the Solemnity of the Immaculate
Conception that Holy Father recalled that Mary is our sister in suffering, but
not in evil or in sin, which were defeated in her befor they even touched her,
since God had filled her with grace.
 "The Immaculate Conception means that Mary was the first to have been saved by
the Father's infinite mercy, as a preview of the salvation that God intended
for
every man and woman in Christ. Therefore Mary Immaculate has become the sublime
icon of divine mercy that defeats sin, and in her we are invited to recognise
the dawn of a new world, transformed by the salvific work of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit. The dawn of a new creation put into effect by divine
mercy".
 "Celebrating this feast day means two things", he continued. "Firstly, it
means
fully welcoming God and His merciful grace in our life; secondly, it means in
turn becoming makers of mercy through the path of the Gospel. The feast of the
Immaculate Conception becomes a feast for all of us if, by our daily 'yes', we
manage to vanquish our selfishness and make the lives of our brothers and
sisters happier, bringing them hope, drying their tears and giving them joy. In
imitation of Mary, we are called upon to become bearers of Christ and witnesses
of His love, looking first to those who are privileged in Jesus' eyes".
 The feast of the Immaculate Conception also bears a specific message for us:
it
reminds us that our life is a gift, that all is mercy. "May the Holy Virgin,
first among the saved, model of the Church, holy and immaculate bride, beloved
of the Lord, help us increasingly rediscover divine mercy as the distinctive
sign of the Christian!" exclaimed Francis. "It is impossible to conceive of a
true Christian who is not merciful, just as it is impossible to understand God
without His mercy. It is the key word of the Gospel: mercy. It is the
fundamental feature of Christ's face: that face we recognise in the various
aspects of its existence: when He goes towards the people, when He heals the
sick, when He sits at the table with sinners, and above all, when nailed on the
Cross, He forgives. There we see the face of divine mercy. Let us not be
afraid:
let us be embraced by the mercy of God, Who awaits and forgives all. Nothing is
sweeter than His mercy".

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 Homage to Mary Immaculate: I come on behalf of families, the elderly, the
incarcerated, and those from faraway lands
 Vatican City, 8 December 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Solemnity of the Immaculate
Conception, the Holy Father went to Piazza di Spagna where he performed the
traditional act of veneration below the statue of Mary Immaculate crowning the
Roman marble column commemorating the proclamation of the dogma by Pope Pius IX
on 8 December 1854.
 Continuing a tradition established by St. John XXIII in 1958, Francis left a
floral tribute at the foot of the column and, accompanied by thousands of
faithful led by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar of His Holiness for the
diocese
of Rome, recited a prayer to the Virgin that he had composed himself, the full
text of which is published below:
 "Virgin Mother, on this day, the feast of your Immaculate Conception, I pay
homage to you in faith and love on behalf of God's holy people who live in this
city and diocese. I come before you in the name of families, with their joys
and
troubles; on behalf of children and young people, exposed to life's challenges;
on behalf of the elderly, laden with age and years of experience. I come
especially on behalf of the sick, the imprisoned, and those who struggle. As a
leader I also come here for the sake of all those who have come from faraway
lands in search of peace and work".
 There is space for everyone beneath your mantel, because you are the Mother of
Mercy. Your heart is full of tenderness towards all your children: the
tenderness of God, who, by you, became incarnate and became our brother, Jesus,
Saviour of every man and every woman. Looking at you, Our Immaculate Mother, ee
see the victory of divine mercy over sin and all its consequences; and hope for
a better life is reignited within us, free from slavery, rancour and fear.
 Here, today, in the heart of Rome, we hear your motherly voice calling all of
us to walk towards that door, which represents Christ. You say to everyone:
"Come, come closer, faithful ones; enter and receive the gift of mercy; do not
be afraid, do not be ashamed: the Father awaits you with open arms. He will
forgive and welcome you into his house. Come, all those in search of peace and
joy".
 "We thank you, Immaculate Mother, because you do not make us walk along this
path alone; you guide us, you are near us and help us through every difficulty.
May God bless you, now and forever. Amen".
 After his homage to the statue of Mary Immaculate, the Pope greeted those
present and, as his final act on the first day of the Holy Year of Mercy, he
transferred to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray before the image of Mary
"Salus Populi Romani", where he was awaited by a large crowd. As he left for
the
Vatican, the bells of the Basilica, whose Holy Door he will open on 1 January
2016, rang in celebration.

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 Adoption by Moneyval of Second Progress Report of the Holy See and Vatican
City
State
 Vatican City, 9 December 2015 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today issued
the following communique:
 "Yesterday in Strasbourg, the Plenary Meeting of Moneyval (the 'Committee of
Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing
of
Terrorism' of the Council of Europe) approved the Second Progress Report of the
Holy See/Vatican City State. The approval of this latest Report, which follows
on the Mutual Evaluation Report of 4 July 2012 and on the Progress Report of 9
December 2013, is part of the ordinary reporting process foreseen in the Rules
of Procedure of Moneyval for all member States.
 The Moneyval Committee has welcomed the outcome of the continued efforts by
the
Holy See and the Vatican City State to further strengthen their institutional,
legal and operational framework for combating money laundering and the
financing
of terrorism (AML/CFT).
 'The latest Progress Report confirms that the Holy See has established a
functional, sustainable and effective system, aiming at preventing and fighting
financial crimes', said Msgr. Antoine Camilleri, under-secretary for Relations
with States, and Head of Delegation of the Holy See and Vatican City State to
the Moneyval Plenary".

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 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 9 December 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
 - accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Aachen,
Germany, presented by Bishop Heinrich Mussinghoff upon reaching the age limit.
 - accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Garissa,
Kenya by Bishop Paul Darmanin, O.F.M. Cap., upon reaching the age limit. He is
succeeded by Bishop Joseph Alessandro, O.F.M. Cap., coadjutor of the same
diocese.

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For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:
www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
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