100th WORLD MISSION SUNDAY - Pope Leo XIV: May the Church always remain faithful to the mandate of the Risen Lord

Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to pray that the Church remains faithful to the command of the Risen Lord during the 100th World Mission Sunday. Speaking from his study in the Apostolic Palace after the Angelus, the Pope reflected on the century of missionary history since Pope Pius XI established the day in 1926. He used a verse from the Gospel of Mark to urge the Church to proclaim the good news to all creation and expressed gratitude for the generosity of missionaries throughout the past hundred years.

The Pope also addressed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square regarding his recent health. He thanked those who prayed for him following a surgery to remove a lung tumor at Gemelli University Hospital. He specifically expressed his thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital, noting that his experience of illness has made him feel closer to those living with infirmity.