Its place in the prayer of the Church
The FIAT rosary saw the light of day at the very moment when John Paul II was
issuing an urgent call to Christians to commit themselves to the New
Evangelization. This rosary also represents a response to the invitation of Paul
VI who, in his apostolic exhortation Marialis cultus 1974, No. 24, wished to
infuse a new vigour into Marian devotion: “This shows the need for episcopal
conferences, local churches, religious families and communities of the faithful
to promote a genuine creative activity and at the same time to proceed to a
careful revision of expressions and exercises of piety directed towards the
Blessed Virgin. We would like this revision to be respectful of wholesome
tradition and open to the legitimate requests of the people of our time." It was
with this in mind that Cardinal Danneels approved and recommended the FIAT
rosary: "May this little rosary find its way into many homes, so that they may
become cenacles of apostles, gathered around the Virgin Mary to receive the
Spirit of Pentecost.”
The FIAT prayer
The FIAT prayer introduces the recitation of the rosary. It brings together for
our meditation the Holy Spirit and Mary. It sums up marvelously the
contemplative and apostolic life to which each Christian is called.
Most Holy Spirit,
Help us to relive,
In union with Mary,
the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and
glorious mysteries of Jesus. Amen.
Grant that we may be
inspired by the faith of our Baptism,
nourished by the Eucharist,
renewed in the grace of Pentecost.
So as to live,
in word and deed,
always and everywhere,
as faithful witnesses of Christ and of
the love of his Divine Heart. Amen.