Rorate Caeli

Rome, the Church of all times

...from the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit does not cease to scatter [the Church] through the paths of the world, to the extreme ends of the earth and to the end of time. This reality which we may verify at all times is as if anticipated in the Book of the Acts, where the passage of the Gospel from the Jews to the pagans, from Jerusalem to Rome, is described.

Rome indicates the world of the pagans, and therefore all peoples who are outside the ancient people of God. In fact, the Acts conclude with the arrival of the Gospel in Rome. It may then be said that Rome is the concrete name of Catholicity and of Missionarity, it expresses faithfulness to the origins, to the Church of all times, to a Church which speaks all languages and meets all cultures.

Benedict XVI
Regina Cæli
May 27, 2007