World Wide Rosary on Oct. 4th to Break Records

The Worldwide Rosary, scheduled for Oct. 4, the first Saturday of October, is in its eighth year.

ROME (Zenit) - The founder of the Worldwide Rosary activity is ready to break a record and unite the largest group ever in praying the rosary.

The Worldwide Rosary, scheduled for Oct. 4, the first Saturday of October, is in its eighth year. The first Worldwide Rosary, held in 1996, was offered as a gift to Pope John Paul II for the 50th anniversary of his priesthood.

Twenty countries participated, and in Mexico, home of the founder, the rosary was prayed in 2,600 locations. Since then, it has enjoyed growth, with 140 countries participating in 2000.

Guillermo Estévez, the founder of the initiative, invites communities to organize a rosary on the first Saturday of October, "either as a mass event, in a stadium or church, in the family or with friends, in order to join many rosaries being organized worldwide."

Estévez urges groups that will organize these rosaries to seek the approval and support of their bishops or parish priests, and to advertise the initiative on the radio, television, the Internet and through the press.