Bishops across Latin America urge prayers for Pope Leo XIV

Bishops' conferences across Latin America are calling for prayers for Pope Leo XIV following his surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Physicians reported on Oct. 14 that the pope, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer, is making a normal recovery. The papal visit to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru remains uncertain due to his health.

In Mexico, bishops organized a week of prayer, asking for the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Uruguayan bishops' conference requested that the faithful pray the Hail Mary 3.5 million times and established a counter to track these prayers. In Peru, where the pope previously served as bishop of Chiclayo, the bishops' conference asked for prayers through the Lord of Miracles. Consequently, the Archdiocese of Lima postponed a meeting to prepare for the papal trip to hold a day of prayer instead.

The Venezuelan bishops' conference also expressed spiritual closeness to the pope, with Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate stating that these prayers demonstrate church unity and trust in God.