The Pope lit a candle before the image of the Immaculate Virgin as a sign of his prayer for all those suffering from illness throughout the world. During his address, he emphasized the importance of Mary as a mother who is always there for us and who teaches profound lessons: “Mary shows us what it truly means to suffer, to love, and to place our lives in the hands of the Lord.”

Addressing those present directly, the Pope said: “On this day dedicated to the sick, we want to unite in prayer with all those who suffer throughout the world. We pray especially for you. I sincerely thank you for the effort you have made to come and participate in this moment of prayer with our Mother Mary, in her liturgical memorial as Our Lady of Lourdes.”

The meeting included the recitation of the Hail Mary and a special blessing. Before imparting it, Leo XIV extended his petition to the Lord not only for the sick, but also for those who accompany them in their daily lives: “We ask for divine blessing for all the sick, today and always, and for those who work in the field of health: doctors, nurses, caregivers, and all those who remain close in the most difficult and painful moments.”

This gesture by the Pope reinforces the central message of the 2026 World Day of the Sick, which invites the Church to live out active compassion, inspired by the figure of the Good Samaritan, to accompany and alleviate the suffering of others with concrete love. The Grotto of Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens, built in 1905, has since served as a space of Marian devotion and consolation for those who suffer.