Salus Populi Romani Holy Card

Laminated pack: contains 25 cards.
Paper pack: contains 50 cards.

Share your faith with this beautiful holy card! The 2.5"x4.25" holy card features a stunning image of Salus Populi Romani with a quote on the back.

The centuries-old icon Salus Populi Romani (Protectress, or Health, of the Roman People) is one of the most popular images of the Virgin Mary in the city of Rome and throughout Italy. Like many of the icons of the Madonna in this pose and style, pious legend claims that the image was painted by St. Luke on the dining room table of the Holy Family which is said to have been built by Christ himself while working in his father's shop. The original icon resides in the Borghese Chapel at the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome, Italy.

Salus Populi Romani has had a significant role in papal celebrations and prayers for centuries, beginning with its reception from Constantinople by Pope Gregory the Great on the banks of the Tiber River. Pope St. Pius V processed through Rome with the icon in 1571, praying the rosary and asking Mary's intercession for the Christian naval fleet during the Battle of Lepanto. Pope Francis has shown a particular fondness for Salus Populi Romani, having clandestinely slipped out of Vatican City the morning after his papal election in 2013 to pray in front of the icon and frequenting St. Mary Major Basilica ever since then. Mirroring the actions of Pope St. Pius V, in September of 2013, Pope Francis brought Salus Populi Romani to St. Peter's Square for a solemn procession and vigil of fasting and prayer for an end to the civil war in Syria. On January 28th, 2018, the icon was presented to the people of Rome after a long and difficult restoration process that lasted several months and restored the brilliant gold and deep colors long tarnished by centuries of age and wear.

Text:
Regina Caeli

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For the Son you were privileged to bear, alleluia,
Has risen as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, Alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad,
O Virgin Mary, alleluia,
For the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. Oh God, who gave joy to the
world through the resurrection of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we beseech you,
that through the intercession of the Virgin
Mary, His mother, we may obtain the joys of
everlasting life. Through the same Christ our
Lord.

Amen.

( HC-4090 )