Today Is The Feast Of The Chair Of St. Peter:

  Collect of the Mass:

eus, qui beáto Petro Apóstolo tuo, collátis clávibus regni cæléstis, ligándi atque solvéndi pontifícium tradidísti: concéde: ut, intercessiónis ejus auxílio, a peccatórum nostrórum néxibus liberémur.

O God, who by delivering to Thy blessed Apostle Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, didst confer upon him the pontifical power of binding and of loosing, grant that, by the help of his intercession, we may be freed from the bonds of sin.

A prayer for Pope Benedict XVI based on Pope Leo XIII’s Prayer for the Pope:

O Lord, we are the millions of believers, humbly kneeling at your feet and begging you to preserve, defend and save Pope Benedict, who has served us as the successor of St Peter. He is the Father of the great fellowship of souls and our Father as well. On this day, as on every other day, he is praying for us also, and is offering to you with holy fervour the sacred Victim of love and peace.

Therefore, O Lord, turn toward us with eyes of pity; for we are now, as it were, forgetful of ourselves, and are praying above all for him. Unite our prayers with his and receive them into the bosom of your infinite mercy, as a sweet savour of active and fruitful charity, whereby the children are united in the Church to their Father. All that he asks of you this day, we too ask it of you in unison with him.

Whether he weeps or rejoices, whether he hopes or offers himself as a victim of charity for his people, we desire to be united with him;  we desire that the cry of our hearts should be made one with his. Of your great mercy grant, O Lord, that not one of us may be far from his mind and his heart in the hour that he prays and offers to you the Sacrifice of your blessed Son. At the moment when our venerable High Priest, holding in His hands the very Body of Jesus Christ, shall say to the people over the Chalice of benediction these words: “The peace of the Lord be with you always,” grant, O Lord, that your sweet peace may come down upon our hearts and upon all the nations with new and manifest power. Amen.