Pope Leo XIV prayed the rosary with hundreds of children and families in the Vatican Gardens 1 October after the pope invited Catholics to pray the rosary throughout the month of October for peace in the world.
Gathered at the Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens, Pope Leo joined the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” campaign, organised by Aid to the Church in Need.
“Across the globe, one million children are praying with us,” the pope said, describing millions of Hail Marys rising from different countries and languages in a shared appeal for peace.
Children prayed in Italian, Arabic, Urdu, German and Spanish, offering decades of the rosary for countries affected by conflict and instability.
The campaign, which began in Venezuela in 2005, will run through 7 October, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This year, dioceses, parishes, schools and families are participating throughout the week.
Pope Leo had earlier asked Catholics worldwide to pray the rosary throughout October for an end to wars. Addressing the children, he stressed that prayer should lead to action, saying, “Prayers must always be accompanied by good deeds and acts of love.”
