Pope Francis has given his support to an international campaign praying for peace in Ukraine and other war-torn regions of the world. 

Following the Angelus prayer in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square on Sunday (October 16), Pope Francis congratulated all the young people joining in tomorrow’s rosary prayer campaign.

He said: “This Tuesday, October 18, the foundation Aid to the Church in Need is promoting the campaign ‘A Million Children Praying the Rosary’.

“I thank all the children who are participating.”

The pontiff asked those taking part to remember Ukraine and all countries experiencing conflict.

He said: “Let us unite ourselves to them and entrust the suffering people of Ukraine, and other people who are suffering due to war and any form of violence and misery, to Our Lady’s intercession.”

A message from ACN’s international president, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, and ecclesiastical assistant, Father Martin Barta, underlined that the charity wanted to put countries consumed by violence into the hands of God the Father, through the intercession of St Mary.

The message read: “[L]et us especially entrust to the powerful and loving hands of the divine Father and the mighty intercession of the Mother of God those countries where war, violence and deep poverty prevail – as in Ukraine, the Middle East, Nigeria, the Sahel region of Africa and all those places where people are unable to live in peace.”

Now in its 17th year, “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” began in Venezuela’s capital Caracas in 2005, when a group of children came together to pray.

It was inspired by the words of Padre Pio: “When a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.”

ACN started supporting the campaign in 2008 and began running it in 2018.