VATICAN CITY — The Vatican announced that it will commemorate the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment with a yearlong series of initiatives dedicated to the safeguarding and care of the Earth. In a statement released by the Vatican press office May 16, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced a “Special Laudato Si’ Anniversary Year” from May 24, 2020, to May 24, 2021, which will emphasize “ecological conversion in action.” As the world continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the dicastery said, the encyclical’s message is “just as prophetic today as it was in 2015. Truly, COVID-19 has made clear how deeply we are all interconnected and interdependent. As we begin to envision a post-COVID-19 world, we need above all an integral approach as everything is closely interrelated and today’s problems call for a vision capable of taking into account every aspect of the global crisis,” the statement said. Among the events set to take place throughout the year are prayer services and webinars dedicated to environmental care, education and the economy. The dicastery also detailed the rollout of a “seven-year journey toward integral ecology” for families, dioceses, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses, farms and religious orders.
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