Pope Leo XIV has called on Catholics worldwide to dedicate August 22 to prayer and fasting, urging the faithful to seek peace in conflict-ridden regions and to embrace what he described as a “disarmed and disarming peace.”
The Pope made the appeal during his weekly General Audience at the Paul VI Hall in Vatican City, where he once again turned his attention to the ongoing wars affecting many parts of the world.
He linked the day of prayer to the liturgical commemoration of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which falls on Friday, August 22. “Mary is the Mother of the faithful here on earth and is remembered as the Queen of Peace,” Pope Leo said, according to Vatican sources.
The pontiff stressed the urgent need for spiritual unity at a time when wars continue to devastate communities in the Holy Land, Ukraine, and elsewhere. He invited the faithful to join in “a day of prayer and fasting” for those suffering because of war, asking God “to grant us peace and justice, and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of ongoing armed conflicts.”
“May Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path of peace,” he added.
Pope Leo also used the occasion to greet Polish pilgrims attending the audience as part of their journey to the Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa at Jasna Góra. He encouraged them to join in the global appeal for peace.
“I ask you to include in your intentions the supplication for the gift of peace – a peace that is disarmed and disarming – for the whole world, especially for Ukraine and the Middle East,” he said.
The Pope’s call underscores his consistent message on the need to end armed conflicts through dialogue, compassion, and faith. His invitation to prayer and fasting reflects the Church’s long tradition of turning to spiritual acts in times of global crisis, and it comes at a moment when the suffering of civilians remains at the center of international concern.
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