Pope Francis

The pope also announced plans to canonize Charles de Foucauld, César de Bus and Maria Domenica Mantovani.

“One thing is certain,” Pope Francis writes. “Unity is not chiefly the result of our activity, but a gift of the Holy Spirit. Yet, unity will not come about as a miracle at the very end. Rather, unity comes about in journeying.”

The pope will pray at the replica of the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens May 30, the eve of Pentecost, and will also be joined by several "men and women representing various categories of people particularly affected by the virus."

Francis called for reflection on the encyclical in which he “sought to draw attention to the cry of the earth and of the poor.”

Father Nicolás “was not the kind of leader who says, ‘I am the one who knows everything.’ He really trusted in people, and he listened.”

A study by the State University of Milan, Italy, has reported that the fear and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in religiosity and devotional practice within the country.