Pope Leo XIV will preside this Saturday afternoon over the recitation of the Holy Rosary from the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, in an initiative that will include the spiritual participation of some of the world’s most important Marian shrines. The gathering, focused on the petition for peace, will bring the month of May to a close, traditionally dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
According to the Dicastery for Evangelization, numerous pilgrims and faithful will join the Pontiff from various countries to pray for an end to the conflicts that continue to affect different regions of the planet. The Rosary will begin at 7:00 p.m. and can also be followed from St. Peter’s Square.
The great Marian shrines join the initiative
Among the pilgrimage sites taking part in this day of prayer are the Shrine of the Mother of God of Zarvanytsia, in Ukraine; the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and of the Good Journey of Antipolo, in the Philippines; the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima, in Portugal; the Shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace of Medjugorje, in Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Shrine of Lourdes, in France; the Shrine of Saint Charbel Annaya, in Lebanon; and the Pontifical Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto, in Italy.
The presence of these pilgrimage centers strengthens the universal character of the gathering promoted by the Pope, which seeks to unite Catholics from different continents in a single intention at a time marked by the persistence of wars and international tensions.
A constant petition of Leo XIV
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Leo XIV has insisted on the need to pray for peace and to promote paths of reconciliation among peoples. Concern for armed conflicts has been a recurring theme in his public interventions and in his messages addressed to the faithful.
On April 11, during a vigil held in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope had already explicitly asked that peace occupy a central place in the prayers of Catholics. Saturday’s celebration continues that call.
With this international Rosary, Leo XIV will conclude the celebrations of the Marian month in the Vatican by renewing one of the main intentions that have marked his first weeks as pontiff: asking God for the gift of peace for the world.