From your Pope's prayers on the vatican site, which appears to differ from your take:
"It is a tradition that the Pope joins with the homage of the City, bringing Mary a basket of roses. These flowers express our love and devotion:.... the love and devotion of the Pope, of the Church of Rome and of the inhabitants of this City, who feel they are spiritual children of the Virgin Mary. .....we all desire to offer 'everything ' to our Mother,.... convinced that 'we could not have done anything without her' protection and without the graces that daily she obtains for us from God
It is she who leads our meditation; it is she who teaches us to pray. It is she who shows us the way to open our minds and hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit.
Mary! For all generations your name is a pledge of sure hope. Yes! Because as the great poet, Dante, wrote, for us mortals you are "a source of living hope"
......Anyone who turns to you discovers the beauty of truth and love and finds the path that leads to the Father's house. ..... watchful keeper of Italy and Europe.
...."Remain in the school of Mary." Take inspiration from' her teachings', seek to welcome and to preserve in your hearts the 'enlightenment that she, by divine mandate', sends you from on high.
Let us ask the Mother of God, ......,' to protect the lives of all Christians'. May she, 'who is the Star of Evangelization', guide our steps along the path towards the heavenly Kingdom
The Church once again holds up Mary to the world as a sign of sure hope and of the definitive victory of good over evil."
A tradition is not a “must” ...
Bringing a basket of roses to one’s mother is just sweet!!
Didn’t you ask your mother for things when you were little? What is wrong with it?? Nothing...
Mary said yes to the Holy Spirit - her fiat gave us Christ and we are all simply grateful.
So where’s the “must”? J2P2 had a great devotion to Mary. So do I. I don’t think it’s required of anyone. No Catholic MUST pray the Rosary. IMHO he’d be silly not to, but it’s not required.