Vatican City, Dec 8, 2009 / 10:39 am
Pope Benedict XVI presided over a rare mid-week Angelus from the Apostolic Palace window on this cool, overcast day in Rome, the occasion being the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. The Pontiff called Mary the "new Eve" and urged all Catholics to entrust themselves to her protection.
Pope Benedict dedicated his pre-Angelus address to an explanation of why Mary is "Immaculate" and what that title might say to us.
He quoted from the book of Genesis and the Gospel of Luke in providing the illustration for the visitors and pilgrims at St. Peter's.
Referring to the passage from Genesis first, he recounted the words of God in Gen. 3:15 about how, after original sin, God made a promise to Satan, then in serpent form, that "the offspring" of woman would strike at his head.