By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
VATICAN CITY | Pray with the Pope project is a new initiative at the service of the Holy Father’s mission. Beginning this month, and in continuity with the mission launched by Pope Francis, Pope Leo XVI will share his monthly prayer intention through both video and audio, inviting the universal Church and all people of good will to unite spiritually, using the same prayer that will now be led by the Pope himself.This initiative aims to increase the visibility of the Pope’s prayer intentions, using a language suitable for prayer, in new formats, so as to better reach the faithful throughout the world, especially in today’s world of digital communication.
The intention for January: “For prayer with the Word of God”
Let us pray that praying with the Word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church
With the first prayer intention of the year, Pope Leo XIV invites us to rediscover the transforming power of God’s Word, the Word in which “we find the light that guides our steps.” Along with the Holy Father, we turn to prayer, asking that we might be a Church that “prays with the Word, that is built upon it and shares it with joy, so that in every person, the hope of a new world may be born again.” You are not alone. By praying you join the millions of people who belong to the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network who, from every corner of the world, are praying for the challenges of humanity and the Church’s mission. Take a moment, pray with the Pope. Visit our web site to learn how to experience deep prayer https://www.popesprayer.va/
The prayer recited by the Holy Father asks for the grace of being open to daily listening to the Scriptures, allowing ourselves to be challenged by them, and that they guide both personal and communitarian decisions. Moreover, he underlines the missionary dimension of the Word, which makes each believer a disciple who serves, forgives, builds bridges, and proclaims life.
Filming took place in the Church of San Pellegrino in Vaticano (Church of Saint Pellegrino in the Vatican), one of the oldest churches inside Vatican City. Its origins date back to the year 795. Tradition has it that during Pope Leo III’s pontificate, Charlemagne gave the relics of Saint Pellegrino (a priest of Rome and the first bishop of Auxerre, France) to be placed in this church. It is located on the old Via Francígena, a route used by pilgrims travelling to Rome. This Church has historically been a place of welcome and prayer for those headed toward the tomb of Saint Peter.
Today, the church continues to be a space for silence and recollection for those who work in the Vatican, for pilgrims and visitors. It also serves as the chapel for Vatican City’s Corp of Gendarmerie. Its walls dating back to Charlemagne, the remains of the ancient apse with its decorations, and the various phases of restoration it has undergone over the centuries, add to its spiritual heritage.
The Pope’s prayer intentions for 2026 are focused on spiritual, social, and humanitarian challenges that face both the Church the entire world.
