Pope Leo XIV will lead between 700 and 1,000 Roman children in praying the Rosary at the Vatican Gardens on October 1. The gathering marks the launch of the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative, according to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Children to Join Pope Leo XIV in Vatican Gardens for Global Peace Prayer
Organized by the pontifical foundation, the event places the Pope in spiritual unity with participants across the globe. It serves as the opening of a week-long global prayer campaign dedicated to peace.
A Week of Devotion from Sudan to the Amazon
The initiative has expanded. From October 1 to 7, dioceses, parishes, and communities worldwide may select the date that best suits their local circumstances, culminating on October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
The reach extends into regions currently fractured by conflict. In Sudan, Fr. Franck Mandozi confirmed that children from multiple parishes will participate. Meanwhile, in the Bolivian Amazon, indigenous communities are praying the Rosary in both Spanish and T’siman.
From Venezuelan Roots to a Global Movement
The campaign began in Venezuela in 2005. It was inspired by words attributed to Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina: “When one million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.”
Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of ACN International, pointed to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a symbol of faith and hope. This symbolism is intended to counter global crises of instability, poverty, and war.
Localized Faith in Zimbabwe and Paraguay
The movement manifests in diverse local efforts. On October 4, St. Christopher’s Parish in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, will gather its children for the prayer. In Paraguay, the event will reach a wider audience via Radio Pa’i Puku, which will broadcast the Rosary prayed by children at the parish of San Eugenio de Mazenod.
ACN has called upon religious leaders, educators, and families to join, describing the collective prayer as a “simple but universal sign of trust and hope.”
Theology of the Lourdes Grotto
The choice of location is deliberate. The Rosary will be prayed at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens, a site of Marian devotion. The event draws on the message of Fatima and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
As ACN notes, “the prayer of children is intended as a universal sign of trust and hope.”