Vatican City, Mar 25, 2022 / 09:10 am
An official at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication has offered an explanation of the “Earth of Heaven” reference in some non-English translations of Pope Francis’ consecration of Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
In an editorial published by Vatican News on March 25, Andrea Tornielli, the dicastery’s editorial director, described the Byzantine-Slavic origins of the title “Earth of Heaven.”
“The expression ‘Earth of Heaven’ is taken from a Byzantine-Slavic monastic hymn, and it poetically signifies the union of heaven and earth that we can contemplate in Mary assumed bodily into Heaven,” Tornielli said.
The Vatican official’s explanation came after some Catholics raised concerns about the inclusion of the phrase in the Italian and Spanish translations