In a world often marked by conflict and division, the power of prayer remains a steadfast beacon of hope for many Catholics. On May 12, 2025, Pope Leo XIV echoed a divine message that resonates across decades, urging the faithful to pray the Rosary for peace. This call mirrors a similar plea made by Our Lady of the Universe in the Bronx, New York, in 1945. Both messages, separated by 80 years, highlight the enduring role of the Rosary as a spiritual tool for fostering peace, a theme that continues to unite Catholics in times of turmoil.
Pope Leo XIV’s Recent Call for Peace
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, has made peace a central theme of his pontificate since his election on May 8, 2025. In a statement on May 12, he invoked the legacy of Our Lady of Fatima, encouraging Catholics worldwide to pray the Rosary to bring peace to a world “marked by senseless suffering and seemingly endless war.” Speaking on the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Leo emphasized the Rosary’s “special relationship to the gift of peace,” recalling how Mary instructed the Fatima children in 1917 to pray it to end World War I. He urged the faithful to “pick up our rosaries and tell our beads with renewed fervor,” asking Mary to intercede for every nation and to channel Christ’s peace through this powerful prayer.
This message aligns with Leo’s broader vision for his papacy. In his inaugural Mass on May 18, he pleaded for peace in regions like Gaza, Ukraine, and Myanmar, calling for a united Church that becomes a “symbol of peace in the world.” His emphasis on the Rosary as a means to achieve this peace reflects a deep Marian devotion, a trait shared by his predecessors like Pope Leo XIII, who wrote extensively on the Rosary’s efficacy in times of crisis.
Our Lady of the Universe’s Message in 1945
Eighty years ago, a similar call for peace through the Rosary emerged in an unexpected place: the Bronx, New York. In November 1945, during the final months of World War II, a young boy named Joseph Vitolo reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary, who identified herself as Our Lady of the Universe. According to Vitolo, Mary appeared near a grotto at St. Dominic’s Church, delivering messages that emphasized prayer, penance, and the Rosary as pathways to peace. She reportedly said, “Pray the Rosary daily for peace in the world, for the war to end, and for the conversion of sinners.” At the time, the world was reeling from the devastation of global conflict, and her message offered hope to a war-weary populace.
The apparitions drew thousands of pilgrims to the Bronx, with reports of healings and conversions fueling devotion. While the Catholic Church has not officially approved the apparitions, they left a lasting impact on the local community, with the site becoming a place of prayer and reflection. Our Lady of the Universe’s focus on the Rosary as a means to end conflict and bring peace directly parallels the Fatima apparitions and foreshadows Pope Leo XIV’s recent plea.
The Rosary: A Bridge Across Time
The parallels between Pope Leo XIV’s 2025 statement and Our Lady of the Universe’s 1945 message are striking. Both highlight the Rosary’s role as a spiritual weapon against the chaos of war and division. In 1945, the world was emerging from the horrors of World War II, with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki underscoring the urgent need for peace. Our Lady’s call to pray the Rosary resonated as a practical and hopeful response to global suffering. Similarly, Leo XIV’s 2025 message comes at a time of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Myanmar, as he noted in his inaugural Mass. His invocation of the Rosary reflects a belief in its timeless power to transform hearts and nations, a belief shared by the faithful who flocked to the Bronx eight decades ago.
The Rosary’s significance in Catholic tradition as a prayer for peace is well-documented. Pope Leo XIII, known as the “Rosary Pope,” wrote in his 1891 encyclical Octobri Mense that the Rosary is a “most powerful” way to invoke Mary’s intercession for peace, a sentiment echoed by Pope John Paul II in his 2002 apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Both Pope Leo XIV and Our Lady of the Universe tap into this tradition, reinforcing the Rosary’s role as a unifying and peace-building practice.
A Call to Action for Today’s Faithful
The alignment of these messages across time serves as a powerful reminder for Catholics today. Pope Leo XIV’s call to pray the Rosary for peace is not just a nod to tradition but a practical response to contemporary challenges. The conflicts he highlighted—Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar—are complex and deeply entrenched, yet his faith in the Rosary’s efficacy mirrors the hope expressed by Our Lady of the Universe during another era of global crisis. For the faithful, this dual call offers a tangible way to contribute to peace: through prayer, reflection, and devotion to Mary.
The story of Our Lady of the Universe also reminds us of the power of local devotion. The Bronx apparitions, though not officially recognized, inspired a community to come together in prayer, much as Leo XIV now seeks to unite the global Church. Catholics today might consider how they can embody this spirit in their own communities—perhaps by organizing Rosary prayer groups, visiting Marian shrines, or simply dedicating time each day to pray for peace.
Conclusion
Pope Leo XIV’s recent statement to pray the Rosary for peace, delivered on May 12, 2025, echoes the message of Our Lady of the Universe in the Bronx in 1945. Both emphasize the Rosary’s role as a conduit for peace in times of conflict, bridging 80 years of Catholic devotion to Mary. As the world faces new challenges, this timeless call invites the faithful to turn to the Rosary with renewed fervor, trusting in its power to bring Christ’s peace to a troubled world. Whether in the global context of Leo XIV’s papacy or the local setting of a Bronx grotto, the message remains clear: through the Rosary, we can become channels of peace, united in faith and hope.
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