Since mediaeval times, the Holy House of Loreto has been a place where Our Lady is venerated.

Pope St John Paul said in 1987: ‘In Loreto we meditate and rediscover the birth of Christ, the divine Word, and his earthly life, humble and hidden, for us and with us; in Loreto the mysterious reality of Christmas and the Holy Family becomes in some way palpable, becomes a personal, moving and transforming experience. The thought of the humble house in which the incarnate Word lived for years convinces the pilgrim that God truly loves man as he is and calls him, follows him, enlightens him, forgives him, saves him. And in fact in Loreto countless crowds, every day and from all over the world, approach the sacrament of Confession and the Eucharist and many convert from incredulity to faith, from sin to grace, from lukewarmness and superficiality to spiritual fervour and the commitment of testimony. Loreto is a peaceful stop for the soul; it is a special encounter with God, it is a refuge for those who seek the Truth and the meaning of their life. Loreto is the sanctuary of the incarnation, which proclaims the love of God, the dignity of every person, the sanctity of the family, the value of work and silence, the need for prayer, the command of charity towards all brothers …’

We may not all be able to visit the Holy House of Loreto; but today, may it be possible to find, somewhere, a ‘peaceful stop for the soul’; a place to encounter God, and our Blessed Mother, who is so close to us at all times. May God bless you.