At the end of Sunday's Mass in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, Pope Francis prayed the Regina Coeli. In his remarks before the traditional Eastertide Marian prayer, Pope Francis gave Hungary to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Magna Domina Hungarorum.

According to Pope Francis, the faith and fate of the entire continent of Europe, which has been on his thoughts lately and, in particular, the cause of peace, are things he wants to entrust to her heart from this magnificent city and this noble country.

Pope Francis prayed specifically for the nearby, oppressed people of Ukraine and Russia. He prayed to Mother Mary, Queen of Peace, to inspire people and their leaders to work toward establishing peace and to give the next generation a future filled with hope rather than violence, cradles rather than tombs, and a world of kinship rather than walls and barricades.

Prayers for Church in Europe
The Virgin Mary held the disciples together with her prayer as she walked beside the early Christian community, the Pope further recounted. He stated his desire for the Church in Europe to grow in prayer, experience renewed humility and submission, and set an example of powerful witness and exultant proclamation.

Heartfelt Gratitude Toward Hungarian People
Pope Francis continued by expressing his gratitude to the government of Hungary, as well as to all Hungarians, for a warm welcome and the love he received throughout these days. He expressed his gratitude in particular to the numerous individuals who came from afar to meet him during his three-day Apostolic Journey.

He stated that he is particularly thinking of the sick and old, as well as those who were unable to attend, the lonely, and those who have lost hope in God and life. He went on to add that he is close to everyone and that he is praying and blessing them.

Support One Another
Recognizing the many persons of various Christian confessions who attended his visit to Hungary, the Pope encouraged Christians to continually support one another, for we are all united by the Gospel.

He took note of Cardinal Peter Erdo's remarks, the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, who observed that Hungary had been a part of Western Christianity's eastern frontier for a thousand years.

He asserted that it is lovely when borders do not operate as barriers that divide but rather as places of interaction and when followers of Christ place more emphasis on the compassion that binds us than on the historical, cultural, and religious differences that separate us.

Final Message
Pope Francis urged the Hungarian people to share the pleasure of Christ with everyone around them as he completed his Regina Coeli address.