The 34th World Day of the Sick, entitled “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain”, will be solemnly celebrated in the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, from February 9 to 11, 2026.
For the occasion, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD), as his special envoy.
This ecclesial event will be attended by the Apostolic Nuncio to Peru, Archbishop Paolo Rocco Gualtieri, the bishops and/or delegates for pastoral care in health of the 22 Episcopal Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean, a delegation from the DPIHD, and representatives of the 46 ecclesiastical jurisdictions of Peru.
World Day of the Sick Program in Chiclayo
On February 9, the Vatican delegation led by Cardinal Czerny will visit three hospitals: the Internal Medicine Service at Las Mercedes Hospital, the Palliative Care and Emergency Unit at Almanzor Asenjo Hospital, and the Internal Medicine and Emergency patients at Belén Hospital.
Afterwards, the Prefect of the DPIHD will participate in a meeting at the Catholic University of Santo Toribio (USAT) with the bishops and delegates of the pastoral care of health of the Bishops’ Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean present.
On February 10, an academic-theological-pastoral seminar will be held entitled: “The compassion of the Samaritan, advances in palliative care in Latin America and the spirituality of integral patient care.” The symposium for study and reflection, which will be held in the theater of the Colegio Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo, will feature presentations by Dr. Luis Solari de la Fuente, Dr. Luz María Loo Palomino de Li, and Father Alejandro Álvarez Gallegos, a Latin American pastoral theologian, among others.
On February 11, a Eucharistic celebration will be held at the Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Paz at 9:00 a.m. (local time), presided over by Cardinal Michael Czerny and concelebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to Peru, Archbishop Paolo Rocco Gualtieri; the Bishop of Chiclayo, Bishop Edinson Farfán, O.S.A.; the Secretary General of CELAM, Archbishop Lizardo Estrada, and the bishops and delegates of the Episcopal Conference of Peru and the invited countries.
The Holy Mass will also be attended by representatives of health institutions and religious congregations, together with people facing delicate health situations, who will be able to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.