GRANT THAT ALL SINNERS OF THE WORLD COME PENITENT TO YOUR FEET

 O Virgin Mary, 

Queen of the Blessed Rosary,

Dispenser of graces in the Valley of Pompeii

and sweet Queen of my heart,

kindly accept the prayer 

I address to you,

that your love

may spread in my heart

and in the hearts of 

all those who honor you 

by reciting the Blessed Rosary.

I long for the whole world 

to come to know

the miracles and graces you grant from your 

Shrine of Pompeii,

and that the whole world

love you and experience

the power of your intercession

the fruit of your bountiful graces.

Grant that all sinners 

of the world come 

penitent to your feet

and once again find Jesus,

the source of peace and true happiness;

and through your intercession

may I too meet Him at the end 

of my life's journey.

Amen. 

* * *

The above is a prayer of Bartolo Longo to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii who is the subject of the painting that accompanies this post. In the miraculous painting, Our Lady is handing rosaries to St Dominic and St Catherine of Siena. Bartolo Longo considered himself a spiritual son of St Catherine of Siena. When Bartolo first found the painting, there was a crudely etched depiction of St Rose, but at Bartolo's request Rose was repainted as Catherine of Siena. This was not just because of his love of Catherine of Siena, but Catherine was a Dominican and it was the founder of her order, St Dominic who was given the Rosary. The Rosary was the rope that Bartolo climbed to escape Hell.