Florence 2015: tribute to the Immaculate Conception

The full text of the Supplication to the Madonna directed by Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, Archbishop of Florence, for the traditional tribute, the Loggia del Bigallo, in Cathedral Square, in Florence, on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

This year also dedicated to the next national event, in the Tuscan capital, Italian Episcopal Conference of November 2015.

The shooting of the video of the ceremony were made by Franco Mariani.

Vergine Madre, here we are again, as every year, to entrust our city, its joys and achievements, his sufferings and uncertainties, his expectations and hopes.

Vorremmo trovare parole adeguate per i tanti sentimenti le molteplici aspirazioni che salgono dal cuore in questo momento. We rely on the words of our Pope Francis summarizes tensions and the future of cities in the world in his apostolic exhortation Gospel joy.

Vorremmo anzitutto che tu ci aiutassi a maturare una condivisione di intenti nel promuovere la piena umanità di ogni uomo e di ogni donna, of all men and all women, because, as the Pope says, "A culture, where everyone wants to be the bearer of its own subjective truth, makes it difficult for citizens wishing to participate in a common project that goes beyond the wishes and personal interests' (n. 61). We need a deeper cohesion around the common good. In this, as disciples of the Lord, we feel we have a special mission, because we know that the revelation of the heavenly city that Jesus has entrusted to us decisively illuminates the meaning and the path of the earthly city: "The sense of unity and full of human life that the Gospel proposes is the best remedy to the ills of the city [...]. Going All the Way that is human and hack into the heart of the challenges as a leaven of testimony in any culture and in any city improves the Christian and fruitful cities » (nn. 74-75).

Sentiamo la responsabilità di questo compito per la nostra Firenze e, aware of our inadequacies, we ask you the strength and courage of the conversion of the mission. Where, even among us, is put in danger the dignity of the human person, is betrayed justice, are left in the exclusion of the poor, is wound the conscience of our history and identity, there is a place for our responsible presence. AND, yet the words of the Pope, "No one can demand from us that we relegate religion to the secret intimacy of people, without any influence in social life and national, without concern for the health of the institutions of civil society, without express themselves on events that affect citizens' (n. 183).

È questo anche il senso del convenire della Chiesa italiana il prossimo anno nella nostra Firenze, to reiterate to our conscience and all that "in Jesus Christ" is possible to build "a new humanism", gift of faith at all in our day so often marked by facts and trends dehumanizing.

A te, You have given us the new man Jesus deliver these our prayers, because your Son, help us to become the instrument of a new humanity.

Card. Giuseppe Betori
Archbishop of Florence

By the number 43 – The Year of 10/12/2014