The pope Leo XIV presided over a prayer event this Thursday in the Vatican Gardens, where Cuba and Venezuela took a central place as prayers were offered for “the hope” of both peoples in the face of the scarcity and suffering their families are enduring.
The pontiff participated in the Lourdes Grotto at the Vatican in the event 'A Million Children Pray the Rosary', organized by the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) foundation, which supports persecuted or discriminated Christian communities worldwide.
Around 1,300 people, including children and families, gathered in the gardens while the Pope presided over the event, seated in an armchair, and the little ones prayed the Rosary in their respective languages.
"This night we are not alone. Around the world, a million children pray with us. A million! Fifty million 'Hail Marys' rise to heaven from every corner and in all the languages of the earth asking for peace," said León XIV to those present.
During the event, videos were shown highlighting the prayer intentions: Ukraine, the Christian communities of Lebanon and Syria, Pakistan, South Sudan, and specifically Cuba and Venezuela.
The video dedicated to both countries noted that "many families lack essential goods and suffer greatly from natural disasters," and it called for hope for them.
At the conclusion of the event, well into the night, the Pope greeted and embraced several of the children and families in attendance.
The campaign has a particular symbolic resonance: it was born precisely in Caracas in 2005, inspired by a phrase attributed to Saint Pio of Pietrelcina: “When a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.” Since then, ACN has extended it to over 90 countries.
This edition of 2026 is the first to expand to a full week, from October 1 to 7, allowing each community to choose the most suitable day to participate.
The prayer this Thursday is part of an active stance that León XIV has maintained regarding Cuba and Venezuela since the beginning of his pontificate.
In February, Pope called on Cuban authorities and Washington to promote a sincere dialogue to prevent measures that would worsen the suffering of the Cuban people, and days later received Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla at the Vatican.
In January, following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, the pontiff called for "the well-being of the beloved Venezuelan people" and received the opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican.
In September, a photograph of the Virgin of Charity of Copper arrived in the hands of the Pope, delivered by Bishop Osmany Massó Cuesta during a visit to Rome.
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