Turn to Our Lady of Sorrows, Pope says in rare greeting to Slovak pilgrims (Dicastery for Communication (multilingual))

In brief

Pope Leo XIV offered a rare greeting in Slovak to pilgrims from the Ordinariate of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic during his general audience on September 16. The group included the Military Ordinary, representatives from Slovak public institutions, and their families attending the 20th national pilgrimage.

The Pope encouraged the pilgrims to turn to Our Lady of Sorrows, the principal patroness of Slovakia, whom they celebrated the previous day. He advised the group to renew their faith through the veneration of the Mother of Jesus and to ask for her help in witnessing to Christian values in daily life. He also asked them to seek her intercession for a world defined by justice, fraternity, and peace.