Lenten campaign 2026
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After leading the midday Angelus in Rome this February 15, Pope Leo noted that the Lunar New Year will be marked this week.
In the coming days, the Lunar New Year will be celebrated by billions of people in East Asia and other parts of the world. May this joyful celebration encourage us to live our family relationships and friendships more intensely; may it bring serenity to homes and society; may it be an opportunity to look together to the future, building peace and prosperity for all peoples. With my best wishes for the New Year, I express my affection to all, while invoking the Lord's blessing upon each one.
In 2026, the Lunar New Year brings in the Year of the Horse.
The celebration lasts for 15 days, and the color red and firecrackers are part of the festivities, due to an ancient legend that on New Year, a ferocious, flesh-eating monster would appear. Villagers discovered that he was afraid of red and fire, and so the color became associated with the celebrations.
