‘Even just one of these children’ announced as title of World Migrants Day

Vatican, April 13, 2026: Pope Leo XIV has announced the theme for the 2026 World Day of Migrants and Refugees, focusing on the need for pastoral care for minors on the move.

This year, the Catholic Church’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees will centre on minors on the move, emphasising the responsibility to welcome each of them as taught in the Gospel.

“Even just one of these children” is the theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV for the 112th edition of the day, which will be observed on Sunday, 27 September 2026.

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development made the announcement on Thursday.

The title refers to Matthew 18:5: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me."

“With this choice, the Holy Father intends to express the Church’s concern for minors directly involved in migration, recalling the duty to welcome each one of them as the Gospel teaches us,” the statement says.

The Dicastery further notes that this "is not the first time that the Popes have spoken authoritatively on this issue, but the current migration situation presents new challenges that seriously threaten the rights and dignity of the youngest among us and require urgent and effective responses. Therefore, this is not a matter of discussing numbers or percentages, because 'even just one' has the highest value.”

Pope Leo will release a message a few weeks ahead of the World Day.

Origins of the World Day

The origins of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees date back to 1914, shortly before the outbreak of World War I. Moved by the plight of millions of Italians who had migrated abroad since the early 20th century, Pope Pius X urged all Christians to pray for migrants.

Soon afterwards, his successor, Pope Benedict XV, formally established the Day of the Migrant to provide spiritual and material support for pastoral work among Italian emigrants.

In 1952, Migrant Day acquired a broader and more international character, with Churches worldwide invited to select a date within the liturgical year to observe it.

St. John Paul II was the first pontiff, beginning in 1985, to issue an annual message highlighting the particular situations and challenges faced by people on the move, calling the Church to respond.

In 2004, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People expanded the observance to include refugees, renaming it the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

At the request of St. John Paul II, from 2005 onwards, the Universal Church has observed the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on the second Sunday after the Epiphany.

On the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, held on January 14, 2018, Pope Francis announced that the observance would thereafter take place on the last Sunday of September.

Courtesy: Vatican News