Pope speaks of his devotion to Our Lady, asks the sick to offer their pain to God through Mary
February 09, 2026
In a Latin-language letter to his special envoy to the principal celebration of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Leo XIV spoke about his devotion to Our Lady.
The World Day of the Sick is commemorated each year on February 11, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, but the site of the principal commemoration changes each year. This year, the principal commemoration will take place at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru, where the future Pope Leo was bishop from 2015 to 2023.
Ever since his episcopal ordination, “We have ardently commended to the most sweet Blessed Virgin without interruption both our Apostolic activity and the progress in the Christian faith of the holy people of God and now especially the whole Church,” Pope Leo wrote in his letter to Cardinal Michael Czerny, dated January 21 and released February 6.
Pope Leo also wrote that Peru’s “faithful Christians, led by piety and love, confidently take refuge under the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” and that Pope Francis chose Peru as the site of the 34th World Day of the Sick “to express more diligently the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary for all those affected by various pains and illnesses.”
“We implore all the faithful suffering from infirmity, disease or pain, that, sustained by this maternal intercession, they may willingly offer all the inconveniences of their own lives to the merciful God through Mary for peace in this world,” Pope Leo added.
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