JOURNEY TO INDIA

ADDRESS OF POPE PAUL VI
DURING HIS VISIT TO THE MARIAN SHRINE
OF OUR LADY OF BANDRA

Mount Mary in Bandra
Saturday, 5 December 1964

Beloved sons and daughters,

We cannot conclude Our visit to India without paying special homage to Mary, the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Here at Mount Mary in Bandra We join you in hailing her as Queen and Mother of all India, To her loving maternal care We entrust this great continent with its people, praying her to show herself a mother, so that He Who became her Son and our Saviour may accept our prayers through her intercession.

Here, too, We hail Our Lady as Mother of the Church, the beautiful title which We had the honour of recognizing to her in the recent session of the Vatican Ecumenical Council. To her We entrust the entire Church in the world, begging her maternal protection and loving care.

Let us, then, all together raise our voices to salute her in this holy shrine: Hail, Mary! Full of grace; the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Confident of her prayers and intercession, We affectionately bestow upon you all, your families and loved ones, Our paternal Apostolic Blessing.