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Pope Leo XIV Begins Lenten Parish Visits in Rome
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido on Sunday, marking his first parish visit in the Diocese of Rome during his pontificate.
In his homily, the pope expressed joy at being with the community and emphasized the importance of the Lord’s presence among them.
He urged the parish community to continue working with 'generosity and courage' to spread the Gospel and to oppose violence and injustice with 'the disarming strength of meekness.'
The Basilica of Santa Maria Regina Pacis, located on Rome’s coast, is part of the diocese’s southern sector and is the first Roman parish the pope has visited during his pontificate.
The pope’s visit is part of a series of pastoral visits planned for Lent, where he will visit five Catholic parishes in February and March.
Cardinal Reina said, 'Through these parishes, our entire diocese is celebrating.'
The pope’s presence is seen as a way to highlight the good in Ostia, beyond the often-reported issues of crime and Mafia organizations.
The visit also aligns with the 'One Million Children Praying the Rosary' initiative, which began in Venezuela in 2005 and has since grown into a worldwide prayer movement.
The initiative, organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), involves children, families, parishes, schools, and Church groups on every continent.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Santa Maria Regina Pacis is part of a broader effort to strengthen the Church’s presence in Rome and to support local communities.
The event also marks the beginning of a worldwide week of prayer organized by ACN, bringing together children, families, schools, parishes, and communities around the globe.
What this adds
The visit to Santa Maria Regina Pacis is the first of five planned parish visits during Lent.
The initiative 'One Million Children Praying the Rosary' involves children from schools and parishes across Rome gathering at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens.
What's confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV will visit five Catholic parishes of Rome in February and March, in continuity with his predecessors, the Diocese of Rome announced Friday.
- John Paul II managed to visit 317 of 333 parishes throughout his long pontificate.
- The visits, which will take place on Sundays during the penitential season of Lent, will include the celebration of Mass.
- The “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative began in Venezuela in 2005 and has since grown into a worldwide prayer movement involving children, families, parishes, schools and Church groups on every continent.
What's still developing
- The pope said such realities are felt “also here, in Ostia,” where violence can wound, sometimes taking hold among young people and adolescents, “perhaps fueled by the use of substances,” or through criminal organizations that exploit people and draw them into wrongdoing.
- “The pope’s presence will help to shed light on these somewhat shady areas, but also to show that Ostia is not only what is often reported about crime and Mafia organizations, but that there is also a lot of good,” the priest said.
- “Our [rector general] at that time sent the Irish Pallottines all over America to take up collections to finish the church. So there’s also an American connection here,” he said.
- “The Bishop of Rome is the Pope because here in Rome, in this very city, 2,000 years ago, the apostles, Peter and Paul, preached the good news,” he explains, recalling that both apostles were martyred in the city and that their tombs remain in Rome.
- “Welcoming him on the feast day is an even greater gift from the Lord and the Virgin Mary.” Two days later, on Sunday, November 29, Pope Leo will visit San Carlo da Sezze, in the southern sector.
- Through parishes, schools, hospitals, and charitable works, Christians are called to “put the Gospel into practice” by welcoming and supporting those in need.
- Between 700 and 1,000 children from schools and parishes across Rome are expected to gather at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens on 1st October for the launch of the worldwide “ One Million Children Praying the Rosary for Peace in the World ” campaign.
- The extended campaign will allow dioceses, parishes, schools, communities and families on different continents to choose the day best suited to their circumstances, while remaining united in the same intention of prayer for peace and unity.
- While children gather in the Vatican, similar initiatives are being prepared across the UK and numerous other countries, from indigenous communities in the Bolivian Amazon to parishes in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Sierra Leone.
- Pope Leo XIV joined hundreds of children at the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens Photo: Vatican Media The initiative runs from 1 to 7 October and unites children, families, schools, parishes, and communities around the world in a single prayer. (ZENIT News / Vatican City, 09.30.2026).- Pope Leo XIV joined hundreds of children at the Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens on Thursday, 1 October, to pray the Rosary for peace, launching a global week of prayer as part of “One Million Children Praying the Rosary”, an international initiative promoted by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
- Many parishes, schools, families, and communities join the initiative without formally registering, especially in places where internet access is severely limited or non-existent.
- “This evening and during these days, it is not just us praying. Throughout the world, a million children are praying with us. A million!” he stated.