Pope Leo XIV Calls for Global Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace on August 22 | WPN World People News

According to media reports, Pope Leo XIV, at the conclusion of a public audience on August 20, expressed concern over the ongoing devastation caused by war in many parts of the world. He issued a special invitation to the faithful to join in a day of prayer and fasting for world peace on August 22, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary.

The report stated that the Pope said: *“I invite all the faithful to dedicate a day of prayer and fasting for all those suffering from the scourge of war, including in the Holy Land, Ukraine, and other conflict zones around the world. Let us implore the Lord to grant the gift of peace and justice to all, and to wipe away the tears of those afflicted by the current armed conflicts.”*

The report also noted that Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Archbishop of Bologna, announced that the Conference would heed the Pope’s call and observe prayer and fasting on August 22. The late Pope Francis had similarly called on the faithful to observe a day of prayer and fasting for peace on October 7 last year, marking the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.