Pope Francis closed the year by offering a prayer of thanksgiving, during which he said that the hope of brotherly fraternity is not based in ideology, economic systems or progress through technology, rather it is to be found in the incarnate Son of God.
The Pope was speaking on the vigil of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, that is celebrated on 1 January. The vigil is traditionally celebrated by the Pope with a Te Deum – a prayer of thanksgiving – to mark the year’s end.
“This is the time of thanksgiving, and we have the joy of living it by celebrating the Holy Mother of God," Pope Francis said in St. Peter’s Basilica on 31 December, the last day of 2024. "She, who keeps the mystery of Jesus in her heart, also teaches us to read the signs of God times in light of this mystery.”
