On the occasion of the 34th World Day of the Sick, to be celebrated on 11 February 2026 in Chiclayo, Peru, Pope Leo XIV invites the whole Church to rediscover the heart of the Gospel through the ever-relevant image of the Good Samaritan.

In his Message, entitled “The Compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by Bearing the Suffering of Others”, the Holy Father strongly emphasizes the relational, ecclesial, and social dimension of compassion as a concrete path for caring for those who are sick, fragile, and suffering. Drawing inspiration from the Gospel parable (Lk 10:25–37) and from Pope Francis’ Encyclical Fratelli tutti, the Pope underlines that compassion is neither an abstract feeling nor an isolated gesture, but a choice born of an encounter with Christ, expressed through nearness, presence, the sharing of time, and shared responsibility.

The Message offers a profound reflection on “becoming a neighbour,” on the shared mission of caring for the sick, and on the inseparable bond between love of God, love of neighbour, and the authentic fulfilment of the human person. In this perspective, the care of the sick appears not only as a necessary service, but as a true ecclesial action, capable of making God’s mercy visible in the world.

As the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), we receive this Message as a particular invitation addressed to women religious throughout the world, who are called—through the different forms of life and mission—to embody a Samaritan, inclusive, and solidarity-based style, especially alongside those who suffer in body and spirit.

We entrust this journey to the Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick, asking her to accompany with her intercession all those who are ill, their families, and all who care for them with dedication and love.

Read the Pope’s full message