Regina Caeli, Kinshasa (4 May 1980)

On Sunday, 4 May 1980, the Holy Father first addressed by radio the faithful in Saint Peter's Square, then, with the faithful in Kinshasa, recited the Regina Caeli.

At this moment we are in connection with Rome by radio, with the people gathered in Saint Peter's Square. I greet you briefly in Italian. Dear brothers and sisters, You listen to us as we speak to you from this faraway place of Kinshasa, Zaire. I greet you and invite you to pray this day's prayer together.

Dear brothers and sisters from Kinshasa, Zaire and Africa, present here or joined by radio:

I invite you to take a break in the middle of this splendid day to address the Virgin Mary, our Mother. It is a beautiful custom, an ancient custom of the Catholic Church to mark morning, noon and evening with a pause in prayer, saying again to Mary at the Angelus the first greeting of the angel Gabriel and his response; and during Easter time, singing praises to the Queen of heaven, "Regina coeli".

The Son of God became flesh in her, is the incarnation, and rose again: behold the joyful and glorious mysteries that are at the center of our faith. We need to contemplate them incessantly with Mary. Yes, we become true disciples of her Son like the Apostles in Cana, precisely with the Mother of Jesus. We open our hearts to the Holy Spirit like the Apostles at Pentecost also with Mary. And with Mary, with this Mother, we turn to God's paternal tenderness in all our human and spiritual needs. Africans understand very well in their families the role of women as bearers of life and guardians of the home. How I wish, dear friends, that you have spontaneous and frequent devotion to Mary, the blessed woman among all women, the glorified woman next to the Lord Jesus, the Mother that God gives us!

Let us ask him for the great intentions of Africa. So that God always has here the place that is due to him. So that every man is respected in his dignity as a man and as a son of God.

So that the poor, sick, elderly, prisoners and foreigners may obtain comfort and hope. So that the African peoples, who display such great hospitality, benefit from the respectful solidarity of other peoples. So that they safeguard the authentic values ​​of the African soul, purifying them without ceasing, and enrich with them the patrimony of humanity. So that peace reigns in nations and between nations, and those responsible for the peoples guide them with a spirit of service and with justice and wisdom.

We especially ask Mary that the Gospel of Jesus be always received in Africa as light and salvation, since in our eyes it is light and salvation. For Christian communities to grow and strengthen themselves in unity and holiness. So that the laity live according to their baptism. So that God may raise up many vocations as brother priests and nuns, and bring them to fulfillment. And let us ask especially for these new bishops on whom we have laid hands to communicate to them the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The election of these Pastors is a sign of the maturity of your Churches. Now they are going to join their brothers and my brothers, to walk at the head of the flock as Jesus asked the Apostles and more especially Peter.

May Mary watch over these Churches, over the only Church of her Son.

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(Before imparting the blessing, the Holy Father added:)

I bless all those present, and also the objects, rosaries, images, etc. I bless your children, your families, your country, this entire continent and the nations of the entire world united with Rome; united to the universal Church. My dearest brothers in the Episcopate: Let us together bless the People of God, the nations of the world, the much-loved nation of Zaire, all who are here, to all of whom our hearts were open during this solemn liturgy, and continue to be so.

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