Pope Leo rallies million-strong child Rosary army for peace
POPE Leo XIV joined 700 children at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens to pray the Rosary for peace and launch a worldwide week of prayer.
The gathering yesterday, 1st October, marked the start of One Million Children Praying the Rosary, a global initiative organised by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
The Holy Father told the crowd of youngsters: “I am truly happy to be with you… This evening and during these days, it is not just us praying. Throughout the world, a million children are praying with us. A million!”
The initiative, running from 1st to 7th October, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, brings together children, families, schools, parishes and communities worldwide to pray for peace.
Thanking ACN “for having promoted this initiative and for the great work it does”, Pope Leo invited children to pray especially for youngsters living through conflict.
He added: “Let us ask together for a special gift – peace for all the children of the world, especially for those who live where there is war.”
Leo XIV then invited them to imagine “fifty million Hail Marys” rising to heaven “from everywhere and in all the languages of the earth”.
Each of the five decades of the rosary, which was offered for countries affected by conflict and instability, was recited in a different language – Italian, Arabic, Urdu, German and Spanish.
Just before midnight data collected by ACN’s online campaign platform recorded 313,938 participants from 94 countries.
But many schools, parishes and communities are taking part without registering, particularly in areas where internet access is limited.
Registered participants came from countries including Bangladesh, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Sierra Leone and South Africa, with particularly high turnouts in Brazil, India, Poland, the Philippines and Ukraine.
Meanwhile in the UK, data showed around 22,000 people are currently taking part across 27 UK cities.
Greeting the Pope, Cardinal Kurt Koch highlighted children facing war, persecution or humanitarian crises in Ukraine, the Holy Land and Middle East, Pakistan, South Sudan, Cuba and Venezuela.
He asked the Pope for his blessing so that children might learn, with Mary, to be “little peacemakers”.
He said: “Prayer also educates our hearts towards peace, forgiveness and caring for others.”
Before the Holy Father arrived, the children had prepared for the Rosary through music, testimonies and interactive activities.
Children from four countries performed alongside a choir and musicians from the Shalom Community during the event.
Pope Leo concluded by telling the children that prayer should lead to action in their daily lives, encouraging them to do good at home, at school, during catechism, and while playing and taking part in sport.
He said: “Prayers must always be accompanied by good deeds, by acts of love. This is how peace grows.”
Anyone wishing to join the One Million Children Praying the Rosary campaign can register their participation and download campaign materials here: https://acninternational.org/millionchildrenpraying/
With thanks to Maria Lozano
