Pope prays at St Mary's

(ANSA) - Vatican City, February 11 - Pope Francis made a private visit to the Roman basilica of St Mary Major to pray before the icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani on Thursday, Vatican Radio said.
    The pope then went to the nearby basilica of St John Lateran for a Lenten gathering and confessed priests.
    The visits came on the eve of Francis' departure for an apostolic visit to Mexico.