In a letter dated 2 December 2024, Pope Francis expressed closeness and solidarity with the people of Nicaragua, urging them never to lose faith in God despite the many challenges the nation faces.

 “Do not forget the Lord's loving Providence, which accompanies us and is our only sure guide,” he wrote, appealing to the Nicaraguan faithful to hold fast to their "filial trust" in God and their "faithfulness to the Church," which he described as "the two great beacons that illuminate your existence."

The Pope’s letter comes at a time when many in Nicaragua have experienced uncertainty and hardship and a socio-political crisis that has struck the Church, leading to the closing of many faith-based organizations and associations and to the expulsion and arrest of a number of priests and bishops.

Upholding the spiritual strength of Nicaraguan Catholics, rooted in their devotion to Mary, the Pope noted the celebration in these days of the Novena of the Immaculate Conception, that he said, holds a special place in Nicaraguan culture and faith.

And referring to the gratitude and love Nicaraguans feel for the Virgin Mary, who has been their constant source of maternal protection he said: “You have always experienced her maternal protection in all your needs and have shown your gratitude with a spirituality that is very beautiful and rich.”

As the Church prepares for the Jubilee Year of 2025, Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to let their celebration of the Immaculate Conception serve as a source of strength and renewal.

“I hope that this celebration grants you the strength you need in difficulties, uncertainties, and hardships,” he wrote.

The Pope called on them to continue their tradition of surrendering to God with the prayer “God first,” and he reminded them of the power of prayer, particularly the Rosary, as a tool for spiritual reflection and connection with God.

“How many graces we receive through the Rosary; it is a powerful prayer,” he said, inviting the faithful to meditate on the mysteries of Jesus and Mary while entrusting their joys and struggles to God.

In closing, Pope Francis invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary and offered a message of hope.

“The Mother of God does not cease interceding for you, and we do not stop asking Jesus to always hold you in His hands,” he wrote.

The Pope’s letter also included a prayer he has written for the Jubilee of 2025 in which he asks the Lord for peace and to "rekindle in us, Pilgrims of Hope, the longing for heavenly graces."

December 8 will be a day of prayer for Nicaragua

The Bishops of Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala have called for a day of prayer for the ongoing situation in Nicaragua. This invitation comes in the context of the 82nd Assembly of the Episcopal Secretariat of Central America.

 “Let us express our profound solidarity and communion with the people of God in Nicaragua, who often face a challenging reality.” This is how the Bishops’ statement read, titled, "Central American Day of Prayer for the Church in Nicaragua. 'We cry out with Nicaragua.'" It called every diocese, vicariate, parish, and community in Central America to organize a day of prayer for the Church in Nicaragua, “so that no one feels alone,” even amid religious persecution.

Thus, on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, people all over Central America and the world are invited to offer an “expression of closeness and fraternal appreciation.”

Like its Central American counterparts, December 8 is celebrated in a very special way in Nicaragua. It is marked by the tradition of “la gritería” or praise of admiration for the Virgin Mary. The Nicaraguan Catholic Church also holds the Virgin Mary as their Mother and Patroness. 

With this in mind, the Central American Bishops chose this feast day for the day of prayer to “fraternally join” the cry of the Nicaraguan people, “which respectfully hopes to find an answer.”

This invitation to prayer responded to this ongoing turbulent situation in Nicaragua. The Ortega administration has expelled more than 200 religious leaders and arrested clergy members, including Bishop Rolando Álvarez. Most recently, the president of the country’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Carlos Herrera of Jinotega, was exiled—making him the third Nicaraguan bishop to be expelled from the country in the last year.