On 1 October 2026, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, prayed the Holy Rosary with hundreds of children at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens. Through this special prayer initiative, children around the world were invited to unite in prayer for world peace and unity from 1 to 7 October 2026. The global initiative, titled “One Million Children Praying the Rosary,” is organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an international Catholic charitable organization that supports persecuted Christians. This year’s theme was “In the End, My Immaculate Heart Will Triumph.”
Held annually on 7 October, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the initiative invites children from schools, parishes, and families to pause for a moment and pray the Rosary together for peace and unity. Launched in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2005, the initiative has grown into a global movement embraced by communities across every continent.
Inspired by a saying attributed to Saint Padre Pio, “When one million children pray the Rosary, the world will change,” the campaign seeks to highlight the power of children’s simple and innocent faith. The organizers believe that children’s sincere and trust-filled prayers have a special power to touch human hearts and contribute to positive change in society.
At a time when the world is deeply scarred by war, violence, and division, this initiative places particular emphasis on the power of children’s prayers. Their simple, sincere, and faith-filled prayers are precious in the sight of God. Children are not merely participants in this initiative; their prayers are at its very heart. They can become true messengers of peace, spreading hope and light throughout a wounded world.
With this hope, the parishes of the Chattogram Catholic Archdiocese joined the special Rosary prayer initiative in solidarity with one million children around the world. Children from across the Archdiocese participated in the prayer, uniting their hearts and voices in a common appeal for peace and unity.
The participating parishes and quasi-parishes were: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, St. Joseph’s Quasi-Parish (Pahartali), Miriam Parish (Diang), Immaculate Conception Parish (Jamalkhan), Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (Sonapur, Noakhali), St. Joseph’s Quasi-Parish (Lakshmipur), St. Joseph’s Parish (Rangamati), Fatima Rani Parish (Bandarban), Shanti Raj Parish (Thanchi), Our Lady of Presentation Parish (Bolipara), Shanti Rani Parish (Alikadam), St. John the Apostle’s Parish (Khagrachari), and St. Peter’s Parish (Lama)
Approximately 1,000 faithful, including children, family members, priests, and religious sisters, participated in the prayer initiative with deep devotion and sincerity. Together, they prayed the Rosary, seeking God’s grace for peace, unity, and faith. The initiative became a meaningful expression of solidarity, fraternity, and communion among Catholic communities in Chattogram and beyond.
Alongside the Rosary prayers, various parishes across the Archdiocese organized engaging activities for children. These included faith formation sessions, Rosary processions, drawing activities, and group sharing sessions. Children participated enthusiastically and joyfully, experiencing the happiness of joining in prayer alongside children in different parts of the world. These activities also helped strengthen their faith and deepen their understanding of prayer, peace, and unity.
Through their participation in this global movement of prayer and hope, the Catholic community of the Chattogram Archdiocese reaffirmed its commitment to spiritual unity and the promotion of peace. In communion with faithful from around the world, they offered prayers for God’s blessings upon all humanity, expressing their hope for a world marked by peace, reconciliation, and unity.
