Pope Leo XIV calls for children to pray the rosary for peace

Children in Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria joined a global campaign to pray the rosary for peace from Oct. 1–7. The "One Million Children Praying the Rosary" event, organized by the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need, followed a call from Pope Leo XIV and included more than one million young people worldwide.

In the Maronite Diocese of Antelias, more than 1,300 students gathered with Bishop Antoine Bou Najem to pray for children facing war, hunger, and displacement. This occurred following UNICEF reports that at least 261 children have been killed and 1,056 injured in attacks on Lebanon since March 2.

In Jerusalem, students at Our Lady of Pilar College, a school in the Old City run by the Missionary Daughters of Calvary, gathered in their courtyard to pray. The school serves underprivileged students from poor families amidst the ongoing displacement and devastation in Gaza.