Vatican City: As the Catholic Church marks the month of October, traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary, Pope Leo XIV has urged the faithful across the globe to embrace the Rosary as a daily prayer for peace and a path to reconciliation. Speaking during his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father issued a heartfelt appeal: “As we begin October, the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, I invite you to pray the Rosary every day for peace in our world.”
The Pope’s call comes amid growing concerns over conflicts, wars, and unrest in various parts of the globe. Addressing thousands of pilgrims, he underscored that peace must be built not only in political negotiations but also in the hearts and actions of everyday people. “May you be faithful instruments of reconciliation in your daily lives,” he urged, highlighting that peace begins within families, communities, and workplaces.
Speaking to groups in their native languages, Pope Leo XIV personalized his message of peace and mission. To Arabic-speaking pilgrims, he offered words of encouragement, reminding them that Christians are called to bear witness to forgiveness and mercy: “Love and pardon are greater than every wound and stronger than every injustice.” His words carried special resonance for communities living in regions where violence and division remain a daily reality.
Turning to Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, the Pope encouraged them to become “missionaries of peace and mercy,” bringing healing and hope to those around them. To French-speaking faithful, he emphasized the power of Christian testimony in fractured societies, calling them to be “witnesses of peace and love greater than our failures or divisions.”
The Rosary, long considered a powerful spiritual weapon for peace, has been central to Catholic devotion for centuries. By dedicating October to this Marian prayer, the Church seeks to foster contemplation on the mysteries of Christ and to entrust the world’s trials and conflicts to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Pope Leo XIV’s appeal echoes the legacy of his predecessors, particularly Pope St. John Paul II, who described the Rosary as a prayer of peace, and Pope Francis, who repeatedly asked the faithful to turn to Mary in times of global uncertainty.
As October unfolds, the Pope’s message serves as a reminder that in a world torn by war and division, prayer and reconciliation remain powerful tools for transformation. By praying the Rosary daily and embodying peace in their actions, the faithful are called to become builders of a world where mercy and love triumph over hatred and injustice.