Children to Pray the Rosary with Pope Leo XIV on October 1
On October 1, between 700 and 1,000 children from parishes and schools in Rome gathered with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican Gardens to mark the start of the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative promoted by…
On October 1, between 700 and 1,000 children from parishes and schools in Rome gathered with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican Gardens to mark the start of the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative promoted by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
That evening at 5pm in the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican, the children and the Pope prayed in spiritual union with children, families, schools, and Christian communities across the globe, according to a press release by ACN.
For over twenty years, the Pontifical Foundation ACN has organized this initiative. This year marked the first time that “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” lasted an entire week from October 1-7, allowing communities, families, and schools to choose the day that best suited them. Each community remained united in their prayers for peace and unity during this period.
The week culminated on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7. Communities around the world participated in the prayer campaign, with efforts extending from indigenous communities in the Bolivian Amazon to churches in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone, where local initiatives joined in prayer.
This year’s initiative drew inspiration from a message given to young visionaries in Fatima, Portugal, stating, “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph.” Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of ACN International and Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, emphasized that the Immaculate Heart of Mary embodies a life fully open to the Holy Spirit, positioning Mary as a model of faith, prayer, and love.
In today's world, marked by violence, persecution, poverty, and instability, this initiative serves as an essential symbol of trust and hope, illustrated by children praying in numerous languages and representing diverse cultures.
The roots of the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative date back to 2005 in Venezuela, evolving into a global prayer network that includes children, families, parishes, schools, and Church groups on every continent. The initiative was partially inspired by a quote from Italian saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina: “When one million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.” While directed towards children, ACN encourages the participation of everyone—parents, teachers, priests, religious, and catechists—in this global campaign. If unable to pray the entire Rosary, even praying a single decade is welcomed as part of this unified effort.
