The solemn celebration will take place in the northern Peruvian city Feb. 9\u201311.<\/p>\n
Cardinal Michael Czerny explained the reasons for choosing the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru, as the international site for the solemn celebration of the 34th World Day of the Sick, which will take place there Feb. 9\u201311.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe choice of Chiclayo is not due primarily to the pope, but to a practical reason,\u201d Czerny told reporters at the Vatican during the presentation of the pope\u2019s message for the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe needed a place where, given the climate in February, it would be less likely that the celebration would be affected by bad weather,\u201d the cardinal said, calling the decision a \u201chappy coincidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chiclayo, on Peru\u2019s northern coast, is located in a typically warm region. In February, during the Southern Hemisphere summer, temperatures can range from about 19 to 30 degrees Celsius (66 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit).<\/p>\n
Czerny also highlighted Pope Leo XIV\u2019s reaction, saying the pope was \u201cvery happy with the choice\u201d the Vatican made in November 2025. In that context, he said, the pontiff wanted to share in his message his pastoral experience in the region.<\/p>\n
Leo XIV was a missionary in Peru beginning in 1985, first in Chulucanas, and he returned to the country in 1988 to carry out pastoral work in Trujillo, where he served for more than a decade. In 2015, he was named bishop of Chiclayo.<\/p>\n
Later, in 2023, Pope Francis placed him at the head of the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican. He also holds Peruvian citizenship.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt moved me to hear how he himself has been touched by the way the people of his diocese respond to suffering \u2014 not only the professionals, but everyone,\u201d Czerny said.<\/p>\n
The Vatican prefect added that during the celebration in Chiclayo \u2014 which he said he will attend as the pope\u2019s envoy \u2014 it will be possible to perceive \u201cthe importance of the theme of compassion and care for the sick, combined with the joy that the pope comes from this region.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cardinal concluded by saying he hopes the World Day of the Sick observance will reflect both the spiritual dimension of care for the ill and the active participation of the entire local community.<\/p>\n
This story\u00a0was first published\u00a0by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.<\/p>\n