Pope Leo XIV asks Our Lady of Aparecida to protect Brazil

During a General Audience at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV offered a special greeting to Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, specifically addressing those from Brazil and Portugal. Ahead of the October 12 celebration of Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, the Pope asked for her maternal intercession and protection for the Brazilian people and their families.

The Pope's remarks come during a period of religious devotion in Brazil, including the Novena at the National Sanctuary of Aparecida. The mention of the patron saint also follows recent political controversy in Brazil involving disinformation regarding presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro. Social media posts had falsely claimed Bolsonaro intended to strip the saint of her title as patroness of the country, a claim linked to an archived 2007 legislative proposal. The Pope did not reference these political disputes during his address.