VATICAN - Prayers for Lent

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Lent is an opportune time for Christians to convert themselves ever more deeply to Christ” Pope Benedict XVI recalled at the Angelus on Sunday 18 February. To help Catholics live this special Season of Lent in a most fruitful manner in order to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus with renewed faith, hope and love, starting from tomorrow Tuesday 20 February Fides readers will find the following programme of carefully researched prayers available in a selection of the most spoken languages.
TUESDAY 20 February: The “Ave Regina Caelorum” a centuries old traditional Lenten hymn
ASH WEDNESDAY 21 February : The Fourteen Stations of the Cross
THURSDAY 22 February: The Stabat Mater Marian hymn used during the Stations of the Cross;
FIRST FRIDAY of Lent 23 February: The First Station of the Cross using the texts of prayers and meditation used during traditional Good Friday Stations of the Cross led by the Pope in the year 2005. The date was 25 March Good Friday 2005 and this was the last Via Crucis to be led by the fast ailing Pope John Paul II (the late Pope participated in spirit in front of a television set in his private chapel ). The meditations for the Stations of the Cross that year were written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. The Cardinal was to succeed John Paul II as Benedict XVI elected on 19 April 2005. The following 13 Stations will be presented in the days to follow. (J.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/2/2007; righe 17, parole 232)