On this National Day of Prayer for the coronavirus pandemic, the priests, and staff of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, invite you to join us in turning to our Blessed Mother, Mary, who tenderly loves and protects her children, in praying the Most Holy Rosary to end the spread of the coronavirus and intercede for those directly affected.

We ask you to pray the Rosary beginning today and continuing each day during this period of great anxiety, each day following the recitation of the Angelus at noon or 6:00 p.m., or whenever your schedule allows. In so doing, you will be joining all of us here at Mary’s Shrine and many others in uniting our prayers as we invoke the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We also encourage you to offer the Prayer of Pope Francis to “Our Lady, Health of the Sick” which he composed especially for the coronavirus pandemic. 

O Mary, you shine continuously on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope.

We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick.  

At the foot of the Cross you participated in Jesus’ pain,  

with steadfast faith.  

You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need.  

We are certain that you will provide, so that, as you did at Cana of Galilee,  

joy and feasting might return after this moment of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the Father’s will and to do what Jesus tells us: He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us, through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We seek refuge under your protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our pleas we who are put to the test and deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.