Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides News Agency) – On Saturday, 17 October, at 3 p.m., prayers will be offered for the Church’s mission throughout the world, as well as for Pope Leo XIV’s health and recovery. These intentions will be interwoven during the International Missionary Rosary promoted by the Pontifical Mission Societies on the eve of the 100th World Mission Day (1926–2026), inspired by Pope Prevost’s message entitled “One in Christ, United in Mission.”
World Mission Day is celebrated every year on the penultimate Sunday of October.
The communal Rosary, a moment of prayer originally scheduled to mark the significant milestone reached by World Mission Day this year (see Fides, 6, 8 and 13/10/2026), now takes on an even deeper meaning.
Pope Leo XIV, a missionary who became Pope, and his health will be entrusted to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the prayer of the Rosary, which will be led by Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches). Participants will recite the Hail Marys from the terrace of the International Centre for Missionary Animation (CIAM), located on the campus of the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Via Urbano VIII, 16, overlooking St Peter’s Square.
The Missionary Rosary was created in February 1951 by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, recently proclaimed Blessed (see Fides, 25/9/2026), who at the time served as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, now known as the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith. It was created to broaden hearts and prayer, embracing not only personal needs but also those of the entire human family and the Church’s evangelizing mission throughout the world.
Particular prayers will be offered for the ad gentes missionaries of our time, both men and women, who, as Pope Leo XIV recalled in his message for World Mission Day 2026, “like Saint Francis Xavier, they have left their homeland, their families and all sense of security in order to proclaim the Gospel and bring Christ and his love to places that are often challenging, poor, conflict-ridden or culturally distant. Despite adversity and human limitations, they continue to give themselves joyfully, because they know that Christ himself, and his Gospel, are the greatest treasures we can offer.”
During this missionary “crown” of prayer, the announcement of each mystery will be made in Italian, English and Spanish. The fifty “Hail Marys” recited in contemplation of the five Glorious Mysteries will be dedicated, in turn, to the five continents—Africa, the Americas, Europe, Oceania and Asia—and recited in two local languages for each continent.
The readings selected for meditation have been drawn, for the first three mysteries, from messages delivered by Pope Francis for previous World Mission Days; the readings for the final two mysteries come from a homily by Pope Leo XIV and from his first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, when he said: “We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”
People around the world will be able to join the prayer spiritually, as the event will be broadcast on EWTN television and YouTube, as well as streamed on Play2000, Tv2000 and InBlu2000.
(EG) (Fides News Agency, 15/10/2026)
