The response to a call to participate and pray for Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his 70th birthday, Sept. 14, 2025, was abundantly joyful.
Diocese of Venice participated as a group in a worldwide effort to generate an outpouring of prayer for Pope Leo with 2,376 praying offerings sent to the Vatican. This effort started as a partnership with OSV News and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Pontifical Mission Societies, Relevant Radio and others to create a spiritual birthday bouquet for the Holy Father. The Spiritual Bouquet, called “Pizza and Prayer,” was made up of a variety of prayer options from a full novena, to a Holy Hour, to a rosary.
Included among 2,376 prayer offerings sent to the Vatican for our new Pope on behalf of the Diocese of Venice, were 589 Masses, 735 Rosaries, 459 Chaplets of the Divine Mercy, 127 Novenas, 224 Liturgy of the Hours, 242 Holy Hours, and hundreds of other prayers and intentions, including dozens of well wishes for the Holy Father from Diocese of Venice families.
“There were prayers and other offerings from both young and old alike, including 4th and 5th grade classes, middle school classes, high school classes, OCIA classes, and even an entire college fraternity, who attended 40 Masses, prayed 41 Rosaries, 25 Chaplets of Divine Mercy, 41 Liturgy of the Hours and 41 Holy Hours,” said Karen Barry Schwarz, Diocesan Director of Communications. “Thank you, everyone, for being part of the Spiritual Bouquet from the Diocese of Venice, and for being part of the Diocese! You are the Church! God Bless Pope Leo! P.S. Just about everyone said they’ll be having pizza in the Holy Father’s honor on his brithday!”
A thank you goes out to all who participated in the Diocese’s Spiritual Bouquet for Pope Leo’s birthday.
