Theme Announced for 2026 World Day of the Sick: Compassion of the Samaritan

Vatican City, 26 September: The Holy See Press Office has announced the theme for the 34th World Day of the Sick, to be observed on 11 February 2026. Pope Leo has chosen: “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing the pain of the other.”

The theme draws on the Gospel account of the Good Samaritan, who showed love by tending to the man attacked by robbers. It underscores a central aspect of Christian love: expressing compassion through concrete gestures of closeness, by sharing in the suffering of others — particularly the sick, who often face added vulnerability due to poverty, isolation, or loneliness.

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which released the theme, emphasised that the World Day of the Sick — instituted in 1992 by St John Paul II — serves as a moment of prayer, reflection, and solidarity for the Church and wider society. It invites all to recognise the face of Christ in those who are ill and frail.

In its statement, the Dicastery noted: “Like the Good Samaritan who bent down to help the man left injured on the roadside, the Christian community is called to pause, offer assistance, and bear witness to the Gospel through closeness and service to the sick and most vulnerable.”

Courtesy: Vatican News

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