Pope Francis prays for the end of the pandemic

Pope Francis is wrapping up a month-long prayer marathon seeking an end to the coronavirus pandemic and the economic, social and interpersonal problems it has caused. Francis presided over a special evening ceremony on Monday in the Vatican Gardens that featured recitation of the Rosary, Scripture readings and hymns sung by some 300 people.

On Monday, Francis sat in prayer before a reproduction of one of his favorite icons of the Madonna, known as Mary Untier of Knots. Those devoted to the icon pray for Mary's intercession to help resolve their problems. Opening the service, Francis said there were many "knots tightening around our existence and tying up our activities: they are the knots of egoism, indifference, economic and social knots, knots of violence and war."