Pope Francis celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary by making a personal pilgrimage to Rome on Monday (December 8) to pay homage and pray at the statue of the Madonna in Piazza di Spagna (the Spanish Steps).
The Pope was repeating a custom of all pontiffs to mark one of the major feast days within the Catholic Church in honor of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Upon his arrival in a modest Ford Focus, he greeted some VIPs including Rome's Mayor Ignazio Marino.
Crowds of visitors had gathered in the square to join in prayer with the Pope in a solemn ceremony filled with music.
Francis asked the Madonna for protection and prayers.
"We pray today for your maternal protection for us, for our families, for this city, for the whole world. Our Mother Immaculate, pray for us!" said the Pope.
The iconic piazza, shaped in the form of two sharp triangles that meet at the points, has been the destin
