Pope Leone XIV renewed an international call for peace across global conflicts during a public audience at the Vatican, urging the Catholic faithful to recite the traditional Marian prayer of the Rosary throughout October as a spiritual refuge against the suffering of modern warfare, Vatican News reported.
The Pontiff’s appeal follows similar statements delivered during his recent apostolic journey to France, specifically at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, and during the Sunday Angelus on October 4. Addressing pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope emphasized that the Rosary serves as a secure anchor during times of global crisis, asking believers to direct their prayers toward the cessation of hostilities, particularly in the Holy Land. The voice of the Pontiff carried an appeal felt strongly in the soul, echoing the words shared a week prior on September 27 during his apostolic visit to France, and reinforcing his message delivered at the conclusion of the Angelus after Mass on the lawn of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Diocesan Mobilization Across Italy
The Vatican appeal coincides with a broader mobilization across Italian dioceses. At the Tondini institute in Lodi, Bishop Maurizio Malvestiti met with local students to share reflections on the month of the Rosary, recalling Pope Leone XIV’s recent engagements and encouraging children to pray for peace and global harmony, as documented by Il Cittadino di Lodi. Accompanied by parish priest Monsignor Gabriele Bernardelli, Bishop Malvestiti was greeted by children singing before reciting the Rosary together. The bishop emphasized that the Pope stated peace must be requested with all our hearts because powerful individuals wage war and it is time for it to end, noting that the world would be beautiful if everyone lived in peace. He also remarked that he visited a school in Lodi on October 1 and wanted to bring that universal outlook to the Tondini institute. Explaining the four words to remember—peace, joy, prayer, and blessing—he noted that if we ask the Madonna for peace and joy, she tells us we must commit and ask for them in prayer, adding that before falling asleep we should say a Hail Mary throughout the entire month. He concluded the visit by donating to the Daughters of the Oratory a Rosary brought by the Pope in June.
Similar gatherings took place in Cremona, where Bishop Antonio Napolioni led a Rosary service in the Cathedral. According to DiocesidiCremona.it, the local Church united spiritually with the Vatican event, utilizing liturgical spaces and artistic imagery to focus the prayers of the young participants on regions affected by violence. The timing was deliberate, as the Cremonese Church united spiritually with Pope Leone, who at that very moment was praying the Rosary for peace with hundreds of children and youths at the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens. Guided by the masterpieces of art in the apse basin—including the Assumption, to which the Cathedral is dedicated, and the Annunciation scene above—Bishop Napolioni reflected on global conflicts, including rebels and drug cartels, and the mystery of God’s Glory using the color green to evoke Africa, described as the most mysterious, fascinating, poorest, and most exploited continent, bloodied by numerous conflicts involving 31 States and 310 militias and terrorist groups, yet possessing a strong desire to grow. At the end of every decade of the Rosary, the invocation “Grant us peace!” resonated powerfully to the notes of a famous Taizé chant.
Vatican Promotes Global Rosary Campaign for Peace
The Vatican’s initiatives are closely linked to the global campaign “One Million Children Pray the Rosary,” promoted by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The campaign draws inspiration from the traditional words attributed to Padre Pio, encouraging children worldwide to unite their voices in prayer for international peace. Pope Leone XIV opened this worldwide initiative for children in the afternoon, while the campaign itself draws inspiration from the message of Fatima declaring that the Immaculate Heart will ultimately triumph, and from the saying that when a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.
Institutional participation has also expanded within church administration. The General Secretariat of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) announced a daily midday recitation of the Angelus within its offices throughout October, responding directly to the Pope’s appeal to foster reconciliation and support communities impacted by armed conflict. Throughout the entire month of October, directors, personnel of offices, services, bodies, and connected institutions gather at 12 PM in the chapels of the various CEI headquarters to recite the Angelus. Monsignor Gianluca Marchetti, Undersecretary, emphasized that a simple gesture like the Angelus prayer at midday allows individuals to feel in communion with the entire Church to invoke peace and build bridges, adding that while complex situations make action seem impossible, people can create paths of prayer and draw close to victims and executioners alike for their conversion.
Summary of October Peace Initiatives
| Event / Initiative | Location | Key Figure / Organizer | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vatican General Audience | St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City | Pope Leone XIV | Global peace and cessation of wars |
| School Visit & Prayer | Lodi, Italy | Bishop Maurizio Malvestiti | Youth engagement and peace education |
| Cathedral Rosary | Cremona, Italy | Bishop Antonio Napolioni | Universal communion in prayer |
| Institutional Angelus | CEI Headquarters, Italy | General Secretariat of the CEI | Daily prayer for conflict victims |
Pope Leone XIV Greets Portuguese and Chinese Pilgrims
Pope Leone XIV also extended his greetings to Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, invoking the intercession of Our Lady Aparecida, patroness of Brazil, ahead of her liturgical memory. Entrusting families to her maternal intercession, the Pope prayed that Our Lady would always guard them, while also pointing out Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Chinese-speaking pilgrims as a refuge and strength in moments of difficulty and suffering.
