Millions of people from around the world are expected to prepare for the Holy Year by praying the Rosary on the first-ever World Rosary Day scheduled for October 7 this year - the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The first Rosary will be recited in New Zealand, at the Marian parish of Saint Mary's, Pukekaraka,  where the Rosary will be recited in the Maori language,  thus launching World Rosary Day, a day of prayer focused on the Holy Rosary to be marked all round the world.

The event is a response to the request of Pope Francis’ call to “dedicate the year preceding the Jubilee event, 2024, to a great ‘symphony’ of prayer' with petitions directed to the Virgin Mary to accompany the Church on the path of preparation for the event of grace of the Jubilee.”

Many parishes, confraternities, sanctuaries, religious orders and other lay associations  have already signed up for the global event.

Many Shrines, including the the International Shrine of Our Lady of Knock (Ireland), various national shrines, such as Our Lady of the Cape in Canada and Our Lady of Mount Carmel (New York USA), are also participating, as well as many Legion of Mary groups.

In Italy, at 7pm Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas will lead the recitation of the Rosary in Latin at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, in the chapel of the Salus Populi Romani, a place of special spiritual significance ahead of the Jubilee.

Students from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (the Angelicum) will walk in procession to the Basilica, leaving the Angelicum at 6pm.

Registration for World Rosary Day is still open, via the dedicated website: www.worldrosaryday.com  allowing people to actively participate as an  association or community, to receive updates and useful news.