The Aid to the Church in Suffering (AIS) Foundation has once again mobilized children from around the world for the international initiative "One Million Children Praying the Rosary," which takes place between October 1-7 and celebrates its 21st anniversary this year. The goal is to gather at least one million children in the prayer of the Rosary for peace in a world marked by wars, violence, and persecution.
In Portugal, the central moment is scheduled for October 7 at 6:30 PM, at the Chapel of Apparitions, at the Sanctuary of Fatima. The choice of location recalls the request made by Our Lady to the three Little Shepherds in 1917, to pray the Rosary daily for peace. This year's edition features a message from Pope Leo XIV for the Children's Rosary.
The campaign was born in 2005, in Caracas, Venezuela, inspired by a quote attributed to Saint Padre Pio: "When one million children pray the Rosary, the world will change." In 2024, AIS counted 1,118,013 participating children, from about 80 countries and all continents, and in Portugal 25,617 registrations were recorded for the 2026 edition.
