By Eduardo Berdejo
Hundreds of men gathered Oct. 8 outdoors at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes in Bogota, Colombia, to sign up for the world rosary of men, praying Marian prayer in the rain raining on the Colombian capital.
The Rosary of Men took position on October 8 in dozens of countries, an initiative that originated in Poland and Ireland in 2018 and that in some years has other nations on other dates.
The men’s rosary on October 8 is the first to be performed in the world. The purpose of praying the rosary 24 hours a day in a village around the world.
In Colombia, the rosary of men has been prayed in Cali, Bucaramanga, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Bogotá and cities.
In Bogotá, the men – who were accompanied by some – gathered in the Plaza de Bolívar and in the esplanade of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes.
A video shows that within minutes of the prayer, rain began to fall on the accumulated men, but that did not stop them from proceeding to recite the prayer, some even on their knees.
While some faithful covered themselves with umbrellas, others remained on their knees for any kind of protection.
During reflections on the mysteries, prayers were held for aborted children, their families and for the authorities.
The prayer in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes organized through the Rosary of St. Joseph group, was joined through other lay organizations such as the Catholic Solidarity Movement, Mission for the Love of God in the World, Marian Ties of Love), Regnum Christi, and others.
On their website, the creators of the Rosary of Men claim that the purpose is to satisfy the will of the Virgin Mary, which is the will of her Son, Jesus Christ.
They point out that “the role of men in God’s plan is to give eternal life to all whom God has given us here on earth. “
“Just as St. Joseph was the earthly protector of the Holy Family, we too have the task of protecting the holiness of our families and those who enjoyed it. We need to do it together, in a network of men. In this unity, we strengthen our masculine identity and our masculine virtues”, the promoters of the prayer movement.
This story was first published through ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language press partner. It has been translated and adapted through CNA.