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World Day of Peace

Pope Francis greets pilgrims at his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 7, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican Announces Theme for World Day of Peace 2025

Aug 8, 2024

“Forgive Us Our Trespasses, Grant Us Your Peace” is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the next World Day of Peace.

Pope Francis' Angelus message on Jan. 1, 2023, marked the solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. An estimated 40,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square for the event. The feast day coincides with the World Day of Peace. | Credit: Vatican Media

Why are the Solemnity of Mary and the World Day of Peace Celebrated on the Same Day?

Jan 1, 2024

Jan. 1 marks more than the start of a new year — it is also the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the World Day of Peace.

Pope Francis invoke the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Peace and Mother of Mercy at a prayer vigil for peace in St. Peter's Basilica, Friday, Oct. 27. | Credit: Courtney Mares

Pope Francis Asks Mary’s Intercession in World Day of Peace Video

Jan 1, 2024

Pope Francis implores the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for an end to human conflicts in a new video released on Jan. 1 for the World Day of Peace.

Credit: Blue Planet Studio/Shutterstock

Vatican Announces That Artificial Intelligence Will be Theme of Next World Day of Peace

Aug 8, 2023

The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Francis’ annual peace message for 2024 will focus on artificial intelligence (AI).

Pope Francis speaks during his general audience on Oct. 26, 2022. | Vatican Media

In World Peace Day message, Pope Francis asks, "What did we learn from the pandemic?"

Dec 16, 2022

In a message sent to heads of state across the world, Pope Francis has asked leaders to reflect on what lessons can be learned three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Credit: Martin Pilgram/Pax Christi International

Africa Well-represented in Catholic Non-Violence Initiative on “just peace” in Rome

Dec 13, 2022

Africa was well-represented at a recent Rome conference that explored the concept of the gospel of nonviolence and “just peace”, interrogating Catholic “just war” teaching in the present day as an example of Vatican II's call to “scrutinize the signs of the times” referenced in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, 4.

Pope Francis offers Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God in St. Peter's Basilica on January 1, 2022. © Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN/Vatican Pool

Let Us Place the New Year 2022 Under the Protection of Mary: Pope Francis

Jan 1, 2022

Pope Francis’ first public act of 2022 was to offer Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, Holy Mother of God.

Pope Francis attends the general audience in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Dec. 15, 2021. Vatican Media.

2022 World Peace Day Message: Pope Francis Calls for Investment in Education, Not Weaponry

Dec 21, 2021

The World Day of Peace is celebrated annually on Jan. 1.

Pope Francis gives the Angelus address Jan. 1, 2021. Credit: Vatican Media.

With Mary's Help, Fill the New Year with "spiritual growth": Pope Francis

Jan 2, 2021

The Virgin Mary’s motherly care encourages us to use our God-given time for building up the world and peace, not destroying it, Pope Francis said on New Year’s Day.

Pope Francis, pictured on Oct. 15, 2014. Credit: Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk.

Pope Francis Calls for "culture of care" in 2021 World Peace Day Message

Dec 17, 2020

Pope Francis appealed for a “culture of care” in his message for the 2021 World Day of Peace released Thursday.

Jean Pierre Cardinal Kutwa, Archbishop of Abidjan in Ivory Coast

Ivorian Cardinal Reflects on Pope’s World Day of Peace Message, Recalls Decade-old “scars”

Jan 2, 2020

As Catholic across the globe reflected on Pope Francis’ message for the 53rd World day of Peace marked Wednesday, January 1, 2020, an African Cardinal applied the Holy Father’s text to the situation of his country, recalled a decade-old “wounds which are struggling to heal” and called on his compatriots to take note of the Pontiff’s description of peace as “a great and precious value, the object of our hope and the aspiration of the entire human family.”