Walking with Mary in the Jubilee Year During the Jubilee for Marian Spirituality, pilgrims from around the world gathered in Rome to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary \u2014 Mother, Intercessor, and Queen of Heaven \u2014 deepening their devotion and joining Pope Leo XIV in prayer for peace. A Jubilee Dedicated to Mary The Jubilee for Marian Spirituality invited Catholics from all continents to reflect on their relationship with Mary. For many, the experience came as a joyful surprise. \u201cWe just heard about that from our tour guide, which excited me because we\u2019ve been to Fatima, and I know about the statue I followed in procession twelve years ago, so it\u2019s very exciting, and we love her,\u201d said Tom Colantuono, one of the pilgrims. Pilgrims gathered at Santa Maria in Traspontina to pray the Rosary before the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which had journeyed from Portugal for the Global Prayer for Peace convened by Pope Leo XIV. The Fatima Statue and Its Legacy This revered statue was created under the guidance of Sister Lucia, one of the three shepherd children who witnessed the apparitions of Mary in Fatima in 1917. Since then, it has visited Rome four times. Its most famous visit was on March 25, 1984, when Saint John Paul II entrusted the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in St. Peter\u2019s Square, offering the bullet from the 1981 assassination attempt \u2014 later set into the statue\u2019s crown \u2014 as a sign of gratitude for her protection. \u201cThe Shortest Way to Jesus\u201d Veronica, a member of Giovent\u00f9 Ardente Mariana in Rome, shared her deep devotion: \u201cI\u2019m very close to her. I try to pray the rosary every day. I believe that she is the shortest way to get to Jesus because it\u2019s his mom, so she knows him the best.\u201d She hopes more people will rediscover Mary\u2019s vital role: \u201cI hope that people who are not very close to Mary, they maybe think that she is the second character in the story, they can understand that she is actually very important. She is the bond that leads us to Jesus… just being in front of her is very special. You feel very loved with her.\u201d Pope Leo XIV: \u201cPeace Is Unarmed and Disarming\u201d After the public veneration, the statue was taken in procession to St. Peter\u2019s Square, where Pope Leo XIV led a rosary vigil for peace before the image of Our Lady of Fatima. In his address, the Pope reflected on the true nature of peace: \u201cPeace is unarmed and disarming. It is not deterrence, but fraternity; it is not an ultimatum, but dialogue. Peace will not come as the result of victories over the enemy, but as the fruit of sowing justice and courageous forgiveness.\u201d The Holy Father then invoked Mary, Queen of Peace, offering her a golden rose as a symbol of love and gratitude. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp EWTN Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article King Charles and Pope Leo XIV to pray together in historic ecumenical moment at Vatican Pope Leo XIV addresses youth at packed general audience Pope Francis: Technological focus on efficiency dehumanizes today\u2019s society Bishop Barron tells youth in Rome: Listen to God\u2019s voice and accept his mission The Month of June and the Sacred Heart of Jesus As Pope Leo XIV\u2019s visit to Turkey nears, anticipation grows among local communities<\/p>\n