From the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens

On May 30, 2026, Pope Leo XIV participated in a deeply moving Rosary for Peace from the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens, marking the conclusion of the Marian month of May. The prayer gathering took place at 7:00 p.m. Rome time, bringing together the faithful in the Vatican and many more people united through livestreams around the world.

The setting itself carried powerful meaning. The Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens is a place of silence, devotion, and Marian prayer. As May came to a close — a month traditionally dedicated to the Virgin Mary — Pope Leo XIV turned the attention of the Church toward one of the world’s deepest needs: peace.

According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV prayed the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, remembering especially those living in places wounded by war, violence, displacement, fear, and suffering. The Rosary was not only a devotional act, but also a global spiritual appeal for healing in a troubled world.

During his reflection, the Pope reminded the faithful that peace is not simply a political slogan or a distant dream. It is a daily commitment that begins in the human heart. He urged believers to listen to the cry of those who have been deprived of peace and to allow prayer to open their hearts to God’s will.

The event also had a strong worldwide dimension. Marian shrines across the globe were invited to join spiritually in the prayer, including major places of devotion such as Fatima in Portugal, Lourdes in France, Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Antipolo in the Philippines, Zarvanytsia in Ukraine, Loreto in Italy, and the Shrine of Saint Charbel in Lebanon.

Vatican News later reported that around 2,000 people joined the Pope in the Vatican, while approximately 100,000 faithful participated remotely from about 200 Marian shrines worldwide. This made the Rosary for Peace not only a Vatican event, but a global moment of prayerful unity.

At the conclusion of the Rosary, Pope Leo XIV invoked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to obtain from the Lord the gift of peace. His message was simple but urgent: even in times marked by conflict, peace remains possible when people choose prayer, listening, compassion, and reconciliation.

The Rosary for Peace became a solemn reminder that the Church continues to pray for families separated by war, children living under fear, the wounded, the displaced, medical workers, volunteers, and all people who carry the heavy burden of violence.

In the quiet beauty of the Vatican Gardens, Pope Leo XIV invited the world to look again toward Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as a sign of comfort, protection, and hope.

A prayer beneath the evening sky.
A call for peace from the heart of the Vatican.
A moment of unity for a wounded world.