On the evening of May 31, Pope Benedict led an end-of-May rosary procession through the Vatican gardens.

He began the evening meeting with Vatican employees:

Pope Benedict XVI spent a breezy spring evening with the Vatican’s civil servants — gardeners and judges included — thanking them for their work, praying with them and encouraging them in their faith.

The first appointment May 31 was an early evening visit to the governor’s palace of Vatican City, where the pope blessed a new 1,012-pipe organ in the palace chapel before addressing employees outside.

"Besides competence, professionalism and dedication," working in the Vatican also requires "a serious commitment of evangelical witness," Pope Benedict said.

The governor’s office runs Vatican City State and is responsible for the motor pool, the police and fire departments, the Vatican Museums, the gardens and buildings, postal service, stamp and coin office, grocery store, health service and a court that deals with both civil and penal matters, usually involving minor infractions such as parking violations.

Pope Benedict thanked those who "work in the different sectors of our little state, from the most visible to the most hidden. I am aware of and appreciate each day the fruits of your commitment and your competence."

The Patrons of the Arts of the Vatican Museums, a predominantly U.S. group, joined the Vatican employees for the event.

The pope said their generosity "gives splendid witness to the beauty of the faith, expressed so richly in the works of art you have generously helped to restore."

Later in the evening, after the sun had set, Pope Benedict joined many Vatican employees and members of the public marking the end of May, the month dedicated to Mary, with a candlelight rosary procession through the Vatican gardens.

The pope joined the crowd at the Vatican’s replica of the grotto of France’s Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

"I entrust to Mary the little community that lives and works in the Vatican," he said.

From VIS:

Benedict XVI arrived at the Grotto at 9 p.m. and, before imparting his apostolic blessing, delivered a brief address.

The Pope referred to today’s Feast of the Visitation of Our Lady to her cousin St. Elizabeth, saying: "The visitation can be understood in the light of the announcement of the angel and the conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit descended upon the Virgin and encouraged her to ‘arise’ and leave in haste to help her aged relative."

"Along the road leading from Galilee to Judea, it was Jesus Himself Who ‘urged’ Mary on, infusing her with the generous commitment to go out towards others in need, and with the courage not to give first place to her own legitimate requirements, difficulties, concerns, and the dangers to her own life."

"May Mary," said the Holy Father, "obtain for us the gift of knowing how to love as she did. To Mary we entrust this particular portion of the Church that lives and works in the Vatican. To her we entrust the Roman Curia and the institutions associated with it, that all jobs and all services may be animated by the spirit of Christ.

"From this hill," Pope Benedict added in conclusion, "we look out over Rome and over the entire world, and we pray that all Christians may say, with St. Paul, ‘the Love of Christ drives me on,’ and that they may spread, with Mary’s help, the dynamism of charity throughout the world."

The blogger at Argent by the Tiber was there.

Today, the Pope received Letters of Credence from five new ambassadors:

Today in the Vatican, the Holy Father received the Letters of Credence of five new ambassadors to the Holy See: Ayesha Riyaz of Pakistan, Larus Stefansson of Iceland, Juri Seilenthal of Estonia, Domitille Barancira of Burundi and Ahmed Hamid Elfaki Hamid of Sudan.

In his address to the diplomats, the Pope affirmed that "in the modern world it is more than ever important to affirm the bonds that unite countries, with special attention towards the poorest nations.

"It is not possible," he added, "to continue using the wealth of the poorest countries with impunity, without them also being able to participate in world growth. Authorities in all countries have a duty to work together to ensure greater distribution of the wealth and resources of the planet. Collaboration to this end will also have an effect on solidarity, peace and fraternity, within countries and between countries."

Benedict XVI expressed his desire "for a renewed commitment among all nations, especially the richest, to ensure that all human beings may become aware of their responsibility in this matter, and accept a transformation of lifestyle with a view to an ever more just distribution" of wealth.

Referring to the role of religions in this field, the Holy Father highlighted "the duty they have to form their members with a view to creating fraternal relations among all the inhabitants of a country, and with ever more respectful concern for all mankind. No one should be subject to discrimination or be relegated to the margins of society for their religious beliefs and practices, which are such fundamental elements of people’s freedom."

"Authentic religion," he concluded, "cannot be a source of division or of violence between people or between human communities. On the contrary religion lies at the basis of the awareness that all people are brothers, who must be protected and helped to develop."

The Pope then gave each ambassador the text of a talk concerning the situation in his or her own country.

The Pope’s Prayer Intentions for June:

Pope Benedict’s general prayer intention for June is: "That the Lord may protect sailors and all those involved in maritime activities."

His mission intention is: "That the Church in North Africa may bear witness, with its presence and its action, to God’s love for every individual and all peoples."