Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has chosen the theme for the 35th World Day of the Sick, calling on Christian communities and civil society to take greater responsibility for caring for sick people, the elderly and those experiencing suffering.
The celebration will take place on February 11, 2027, coinciding with the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The theme is “They lowered him on the stretcher in front of Jesus: The role of the community in caring for every person.”
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced the theme on Thursday, November 5. It is inspired by a passage in the Gospel of Luke, which describes how a group of people brought a paralysed man to Jesus. When they could not reach him because of the crowd, they lowered the man through the roof so that he could receive healing.
The chosen theme highlights the importance of collective responsibility in responding to human suffering. It calls on Christian communities, together with wider society, to recognise the needs of vulnerable people and ensure they receive care and support.
The dicastery emphasised that the example of the people who brought the paralysed man to Jesus demonstrates how communities can work together to help those in need of physical and spiritual healing.
It also connected this responsibility with the Christian call to love one's neighbour and care for others.
Parishes and Christian communities are encouraged to pay particular attention to people who live alone, the elderly and those who suffer. They are also called to create welcoming environments where people can find companionship, support and hope.
The 2027 observance will focus on strengthening the role of communities in ensuring that no one facing illness, old age or suffering is left without care and human closeness.