Vatican Report | Thursday evening, 5 November 2026

Pope Leo XIV’s last full day in the Vatican before the Latin America journey: Mass for deceased cardinals and bishops, prayer in the Vatican Grottoes, a video message to the Church in China, appointments, and the theme of the 2027 World Day of the Sick. Tomorrow at 7 a.m., departure from Fiumicino. 🗓️ The Pope’s schedule At 9 a.m., at the Altar of the Chair in St Peter’s, the Pope presided at the Mass in suffrage for the cardinals and bishops who died during the year: 7 cardinals and 136 bishops, Vatican News reports (Bulletin B0870). In the official homily, prayer for the dead “means to celebrate life”, rooted in hope in the Resurrection and the communion of saints, not mere nostalgia. After the liturgy he went down to the Vatican Grottoes and prayed at the tombs of Benedict XVI, Blessed John Paul I, Saint Paul VI, Pius XII and Benedict XV (Vatican News). This morning he received the bishops of Hungary on their “ad limina” visit (B0872) and, in a private audience, the Italian band Pooh with their families: “We talked about our 60 years of music, the value of songs as messages of peace and the need, now more than ever, to build a world without conflicts,” the musicians wrote (sources: Pooh social media, Dire, Corriere, L’Eco). 🇨🇳 Church in China In a video message to the conference “The face of the universal Church in China” at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Leo XIV recalled the centenary of the consecration of the first six Chinese bishops, ordained by Pius XI in St Peter’s on 28 October 1926. The unity of the Church “is not uniformity but communion in diversity”; mission must not be confused with colonization (B0871). 🎖️ Appointments and Holy See Apostolic Nuncio to Hungary: Franco Coppola, until now Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg. Two new Under-Secretaries at the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development: Avelino Chicoma Bundo Chico and Claudia Leal Luna. Members of the Section for First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization: Mario Zenari, Christophe Pierre, Ambrogio Spreafico and Maurizio Malvestiti (B0872). Theme of the 35th World Day of the Sick (11 February 2027): “They lowered him on the stretcher in front of Jesus” (Lk 5:19), with a subtitle on the role of the community (B0873). This evening the bulletin added no new items beyond B0870–B0873. ✈️ Ahead of the journey Tomorrow, Friday 6 November, 7 a.m.: departure from Fiumicino for the Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru (until the 17th). Arrival in Montevideo-Carrasco expected around 4:30 p.m. local / 8:30 p.m. Rome time (programme B0736, confirmed by B0842). 📌 To watch • Friday 6 November, 7 a.m.: departure; arrival in Montevideo at 8:30 p.m. Rome time • 6-17 November: Apostolic Journey Uruguay–Argentina–Peru • Wednesday 18 November, 5 p.m.: Mass for the 400th anniversary of the Dedication of St Peter’s Basilica