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Pope Leo XIV Marks All Souls' Day at Rome's Largest Cemetery
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV will celebrate All Souls' Day Mass at Rome's Campo Verano Cemetery, marking the start of a busy liturgical schedule.
Pope Leo XIV will celebrate All Souls' Day Mass at Rome's Campo Verano Cemetery, a tradition he has continued from previous years. Aciafrica and Ncregister report that the pope has chosen this location for the commemoration, following his visits to other significant sites in past years, such as the Pontifical Teutonic College of Santa Maria in Campo Santo within the Vatican in 2022 and Rome’s Laurentino Cemetery in 2025.
According to Catholicreview, the Mass at Campo Verano Cemetery will begin at 4 p.m. On November 2, continuing the practice of Pope Francis, who celebrated the feast at the same cemetery for the first three years of his papacy.
Ewtnvatican confirm that Pope Leo will also offer a Mass for the soul of the late Pope Francis and deceased cardinals the day after the All Souls' Day Mass. Ewtnvatican notes that Pope Francis chose to pray at other cemeteries in and around Rome after the first three years.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo will celebrate 14 public Masses during the month of November, including five in Rome and Vatican City, and nine in South America. However, Catholicreview, Cathstan, Detroitcatholic, Ncronline, and OSV News report that the number of public Masses is 12, including the All Souls' Day Mass.
Doctors cleared Pope Leo to make the Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru without changes, just weeks after surgery for lung cancer. Dr. Luigi Carbone, the papal doctor, stated that there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking the trip as planned.
The full itinerary for the Pope’s Apostolic Journey, including information on the various public liturgies celebrated by the Pope, can be found on the Vatican website.
Despite the slight discrepancy in the number of public Masses, all publications agree that Pope Leo XIV will celebrate All Souls' Day Mass at Rome's Campo Verano Cemetery, marking the start of a busy liturgical schedule for November.
Background
Pope Leo XIV honored Chinese Catholics for their unity during a visit to Rome, where he met with members of the Coalition for Spiritual & Public Leadership (CSPL) and addressed the 'Sinicization of Catholicism' initiative.
Surrounded by the tombs and monuments of Rome's largest cemetery, Pope Leo XIV celebrated All Souls' Day Mass at Campo Verano Cemetery on Nov. 2, 2026, according to Florida Catholic Media and TheCatholicSpirit.com.
What's confirmed
- It will not be the first time a pope has presided over this celebration at Verano Cemetery.
- In subsequent years, he chose other significant locations, including the Pontifical Teutonic College of Santa Maria in Campo Santo within the Vatican in 2022 and Rome’s Laurentino Cemetery in 2025.
- Pope Francis celebrated All Souls’ Day Mass there in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
- The commemoration at Verano Cemetery will open the pope’s public liturgical schedule for the months of November and December.
- The pope’s liturgical schedule was released a day after the pope’s doctors cleared him to make the Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru without changes, just weeks after surgery for lung cancer.
- Doctors said Oct. 21 that Pope Leo would need no further cancer treatment after undergoing video-assisted surgery Oct. 13 in which the lower lobe of his right lung was removed.
- Pope Leo XIV will travel more than 19,000 miles on 14 flights during the November trip to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay.
- The pope “is following medical recommendations with great care and diligence, and with a deep determination to continue serving the Church,” Carbone said.
- The Vatican announced this week that Pope Leo will offer five public Masses in Rome and Vatican City during the month of November, in addition to the nine Masses he is already scheduled to celebrate in South America, making November one of the busiest liturgical months of his pontificate so far.
- Lawrence Outside the Walls, the same cemetery where he celebrated the feast last year.
- 5, the day before leaving for South America, the pope will preside over a Mass in St.
- The day after returning from South America, Pope Leo will celebrate Mass in St.
What's still developing
- On All Souls’ Day, Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass this afternoon at Rome’s Verano Cemetery, after asking Catholics at Sunday’s Angelus to pray for the dead, “especially for those whom no one remembers.” Four days before Leo leaves for Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, NCR calls the Nov.
- Worshippers gathered amid the tombs of the historic cemetery to pray for the dead during the annual liturgy.