Rome, Italy, Mar 8, 2013 / 12:26 pm
A center for students and young people in Rome has announced that it will host 24-hour Eucharistic adoration to pray for the Church and the cardinals in the upcoming Papal conclave.
"Like the apostles were united together with Mary in the Cenacle at Pentecost, today again the cardinals pray in attitude of availability to the Holy Spirit," the center's chaplain, Fr. Fabien Lambert, said in a March 8 statement.
"We would also like to unite ourselves with our cardinals and with all of the Church to pray and intercede for the conclave," he added.
This news follows Vatican press director Fr. Federico Lombardi's March 8 announcement that, after five days of general meetings, the cardinals have decided to start the Papal conclave on Tuesday, March 12.
The cardinals will celebrate a Mass for the Election of a New Pope in St. Peter's Basilica in the morning and "in the afternoon the cardinals will enter into the Conclave," Fr. Lombardi confirmed.
Adoration at the Centro San Lorenzo will begin one day prior to the start of the conclave at 11 a.m. local time and will continue "until the end of the Conclave."
On March 15, the center will also host a Eucharistic procession to St. Peter's Square followed by the recitation of the Rosary on the steps of the Basilica and Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Giovanni D'Ercole of L'Aquila, Italy.
The Centro San Lorenzo was founded in 1983 by Pope John Paul II as an international center dedicated to the youth of the world. Its aims are to enrich and form young pilgrims "in their faith within the context of prayer, the Sacraments, and Catholic community."
In addition to welcoming young pilgrims from around the globe, the Centro San Lorenzo serves as the official home to the World Youth Day Cross.