First Anniversary of the Election of Pope Leo XIV to the Chair of Peter
The Rosary for Peace in the World
“Today is the day of the Prayer of Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk at our side, to remain close to us, to help us with her intercession and her love. So I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace: Hail Mary...”
With these words, Pope Leo XIV, on the day of his election to the Chair of Peter, Thursday, May 8, 2025, appeared on the central Loggia of Blessings of Saint Peter’s Basilica to greet the faithful and impart the Apostolic Blessing Urbi et Orbi.
One year after his election, Pope Leo XIV chose to celebrate this anniversary at the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii. As a pilgrim of peace, before the image of Our Lady, he recites the Supplication, the prayer composed by Saint Bartolo Longo, founder of the Shrine.
Peace and the Rosary: an inseparable combination for the Pope. Peace must be invoked through prayer to Mary and promoted and pursued both personally and communally. In this regard, on the forecourt of St. Peter’s Basilica, before the beginning of the Prayer Vigil of the Holy Rosary to invoke the gift of peace last Saturday evening, April 11, Leo XIV addressed the faithful present with these words:
“Now joined in the prayer of the Holy Rosary, as we ask for the intercession of our Mother Mary, we wish to tell the whole world that it is possible to build peace, a new peace; that it is possible to live together with all peoples of every religion and every race; that we wish to be disciples of Jesus Christ, united as brothers and sisters, all united in a world of peace..”
During his reflection at the Vigil, the Pontiff invited everyone, without exception, to commit themselves to peace according to their own responsibilities:
“There are certainly binding responsibilities that fall to the leaders of nations. To them we cry out: Stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided! Yet there is a no less significant responsibility that falls to all of us — men and women from all over the world. We are an immense multitude that rejects war not only in word, but also in deed..”
Hence came his call for conversion in order to build “a Kingdom of peace that is built day by day,” not through polemics, but through friendship and a culture of encounter.
During the Regina Caeli on Sunday, May 3, the Pope also invited the faithful to pray the Rosary for two intentions: communion within the Church and peace in the world:
“The month of May has begun: throughout the Church, the joy of gathering in the name of Mary, our Mother, is renewed, especially by praying the Rosary together. We relive the experience of those days between Jesus’ Ascension and Pentecost, when the disciples gathered in the upper room to invoke the Holy Spirit. Mary Most Holy remained in their midst, her heart keeping watch over the fire that animated the prayer of all. I entrust my intentions to you, particularly for communion within the Church and for peace in the world.”
Faced with an international situation marked by conflict, the Pope, during his pastoral visit to the Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Ponte Mammolo (Rome) on Sunday, March 15, emphasized how easily war is resorted to in order to solve problems:
“At present, many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world are suffering because of violent conflicts, caused by the absurd claim that problems and differences can be resolved through war, whereas we must engage in unceasing dialogue for peace. Some even go so far as to invoke God’s name in these choices of death, but God cannot be enlisted by darkness. Rather, He always comes to bestow light, hope and peace upon humanity, and it is peace that those who invoke Him must seek.”
Peace is a defining mark of this pontificate, an essential and recurring element in the Pope’s Magisterium. Indeed, the very first words he addressed to the faithful from the Loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica immediately after his election were marked by peace, echoing the greeting of the risen Christ:
“Peace be with you all! Dear brothers and sisters, these are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for God’s flock. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world. Peace be with you! It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.”