FOUNDATION
World Rosary Day was inspired by the heartfelt invitation of former Pope Francis to dedicate the year 2024 to a worldwide “symphony of prayer” in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025.
In his letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella announcing the Jubilee, the Holy Father encouraged all the faithful to turn to the Virgin Mary, asking her to accompany the Church on this journey of grace.
Responding to this call, the Pan-European Forum of Confraternities (www.confraternitas.eu), in collaboration with the Dominican Order and World Priest, and under the patronage of the Vatican’s Dicastery of Evangelization, launched World Rosary Day to unite the faithful around the world in a common, powerful prayer: the Holy Rosary.
All confraternities, international sanctuaries, shrines, parishes, religious orders and lay associations, especially those with a strong Marian spirituality, were invited to participate in the first edition on 7 October 2024, by reciting the prayer to the Virgin Mary at 7:00 pm in each participant’s local time zone.
The response was overwhelming, with more than 900 registrations from 71 countries of the world, in five continents, each participant representing between hundreds to hundreds-of-thousand members; accompanied by letters of endorsement from Bishops, Rectors and leaders of associations.
The World Rosary Day thus began in Ōtaki, Aotearoa (New Zealand), with the Rosary prayed in the Māori language. It then proceeded westward, including a solemn recitation at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, led by recently elected Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas.
In addition, close to 800 images and videos of the various celebrations were received, some of which can be seen on the 2024 archive, and a docu-film of the whole event, including newly-recorded interviews with members of the Church, is in the final stages of preparation and will be soon presented.
Given the enthusiastic support, and following requests by many participants, it was decided to repeat the World Rosary Day in 2025, in the same format, and in order to assist the likely further growing event, this new website was created.
MISSION
World Rosary Day is a day of collective worldwide prayer focused on the Holy Rosary.
A common intention (specific concern, need, request or gratitude) will be selected each time.
Every year on October 7th, liturgical feast of the Holy Rosary: confraternities, shrines, religious orders, catholic associations, parishes, and prayer groups worldwide are invited to join together in reciting the Rosary at 7 pm across time zones.
Starting in Oceania, then Asia, Africa, Europe and North, Central and South America, the prayer will encircle the globe like a living chain of faith, in different languages.
The Dominican Order, historical custodian and promoter of the Holy Rosary, and World Priest, a lay group for the advancement of Catholic faith, are playing key roles in organizing and supporting the event.
If you wish to partake in and contribute to this extraordinary day of prayer, organizing your local World Rosary Day, we invite new participants to register.
Therefore, those who participated in the 2024 event will NOT need to re-apply, unless the contact person has changed and/or you wish to add a second contact
