๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ 1, 2025, ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ค๐ซ๐ข๐๐ค๐๐ฌ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ซ, ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐.
Jan 2, 2025
In his homily, the cardinal reflected on the spiritual significance of the Holy Door and its connection to the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.
He highlighted Maryโs role as a guiding light for humanity, explaining that she embodies the โfullness of timeโ as the path chosen by God to unite eternity and history. The cardinal also reflected on the icon Salus Populi Romani and the relic of the Holy Cradle housed in the basilica, emphasizing Maryโs maternal care and the journey of faith initiated at Christโs birth.
Describing the basilica as the โBethlehem of the West,โ Cardinal Makrickas likened it to the Star of Bethlehem, guiding the faithful to Jesus, the Light of the World. He invoked Pope Francisโ words from the Jubilee Yearโs Bull of Indiction, "Spes non confundit", urging all pilgrims to entrust themselves to Mary, who leads them to Christ.
The Jubilee Year, he emphasized, is a time of grace and hope for all, as Mary loves and accompanies everyone on their spiritual journey to her Son.
Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2024 consistory on December 7.
- Commission for Social Communication, Diocese of Badulla