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Pope Leo XIV to Lead World Mission Rosary Live from Vatican
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics around the world to join him in praying a Rosary for peace on May 30, 2026, and will lead a World Mission Rosary live from the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 7 p.m.
Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics around the world to join him in praying a Rosary for peace on May 30, 2026, and will lead a World Mission Rosary live from the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 7 p.m. local time.
The World Mission Day, established by Pope Pius XI in 1927, will be celebrated for the 100th time on October 18, 2026. Pope Leo has issued repeated calls for peace around the world, including the Middle East, Africa, and Ukraine, since the start of his pontificate.
Shrines from around the world, coordinated by the Dicastery for Evangelization, have joined the initiative. These include the Shrine of the Mother of God in Ukraine, the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in the Philippines, and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Portugal.
Bishop Sheen’s timeless counsel on why the Rosary strengthens and sanctifies every soul is highlighted in the National Catholic Register, emphasizing the importance of the prayer.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., will join Pope Leo in praying the rosary with a simultaneous livestream at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Pope Leo’s birthday on September 14, 2026, is being celebrated with a special “spiritual birthday bouquet” of prayers and pizza, a favorite treat of the Chicago native.
Pope Leo’s recent recovery from lung cancer surgery has been marked by a return to public appearances, including a Mass in Paris that drew an estimated 800,000 people.
In his homily at the Paris Mass, Pope Leo urged French Catholics not to keep their rich Catholic heritage to themselves in an increasingly secularized society.
Pope Leo’s health has been closely monitored, with doctors confirming his continued improvement and giving him the green light for travel, including a recent trip to Paris.
The Pope’s lung cancer diagnosis and successful surgery have been widely reported, with experts noting his strong prognosis due to his age and health status.
Pope Leo’s visit to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris marked the first time since the devastating 2019 fire that a pope had stepped inside the famous gothic cathedral.
Pope Leo’s message to clergy members and Catholics, written on October 14, 2026, expressed his gratitude for their support and prayers during his recovery.
What this adds
The World Mission Rosary will be dedicated to the five continents, with each decade representing a different continent and recited in two local languages for each continent, celebrating the diversity of the universal Church.
Background
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the faithful to pray for Pope Leo XIV after he underwent surgery for lung cancer.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the faithful to pray for Pope Leo after he underwent successful surgery for lung cancer.
What's confirmed
- As the Catholic Church prepares to celebrate the 100th World Mission Day on Sunday, October 18, Pope Leo XIV and the Church's mission will be entrusted to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the International Mission Rosary on Saturday, October 17.
What's still developing
- This year the Church celebrates the 100th World Mission Day on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
- Siblings from family of 20 share what it was like being raised by a ‘Mother of the Year.’ Venerable Patrick Peyton’s prolific promotion of the Rosary highlighted in film.
- “As the preeminent Marian shrine and patronal church of the United States, the basilica joins shrines throughout the world in this worldwide rosary with the Holy Father,” according to a statement from the basilica in Washington, D.C.
- Pope Leo XIV turns 70 on Sept. 14, and several Catholic organzations are celebrating by gathering a host of prayers into a very special “spiritual birthday bouquet” for the Holy Father in which everyone can participate.
- “As Daughters of St. Paul, our mission is to bring Christ to the world through every means of communication,” Sister Tracey Dugas said.
- The effort also encourages participants, when possible, to pray together and then grab a slice of pizza in honor of one of the Chicago native’s favorite treats.
- Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Pontifical Mission Societies, Sing the Hours and more are encouraging an outpouring of prayer for Pope Leo and his intentions leading up to his milestone birthday — and his first birthday as pope.
- “We must pray, and not for ourselves, but for the world. To this end, I have designed the World Mission Rosary. Each of the five decades is of a different color to represent the continents. ” According to VaticanNews, on Saturday, "the mysteries will be dedicated to Africa, America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia. The 50 Hail Marys will be recited in two local languages for each continent, celebrating the diversity of the universal Church. Each mystery will be announced in Italian, English, and Spanish."
- Though international pop star Céline Dion was touring through Paris the same nights as the pope, Leo drew a bigger crowd and a fervor tantamount to that of a rockstar at the Stade de France, inciting passionate cheers and more than a few teary eyes from the spectators.
- YouCat – Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church – was first published in 2011 with a foreword by Pope Benedict XVI and has since been translated into dozens of languages.
- PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has added one of America’s leading Catholic educators with expertise in the connection between history and the faith to a key pontifical commission focused on preserving truth, at a time when the Holy Father is warning of how a failure to accurately understand history could lead to a politically and technologically more dangerous future for the world.
- The American pope greeted the flag-waving, cheering throngs from his popemobile during a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) parade along the grand boulevard leading to the Place de la Concorde for Mass, essentially the heart of Paris and a symbol of the French republic.