On his Name Day, Pope Francis donated — through the Office of Papal Charities — 6,000 rosaries from World Youth Day to young people from the Archdiocese of Milan. The youth were taking part in a Mass celebrated in St Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, April 23, by Milan’s Archbishop, Mario Delpini.

Pope Francis, baptized Jorge (George) Mario Bergoglio, celebrates his Name Day on April 23, the feast of St George the Martyr. It is traditional in some parts of the world for people to celebrate in a special way the feasts of the saints for whom they are named.

The Rosaries donated to the young pilgrims were made with olive wood from the Holy Land specifically for the most recent World Youth Day, which took place in Panama in January; and for Youth Day at the Diocesan level on Palm Sunday. Caritas Jerusalem organized the production of the Rosaries, which gave work to the poor, to refugees, and to families of prisoners.

On Wednesday morning, the young people from Milan — who are participating in the Archdiocesan pastoral year dedicated to the theme, “They go from strength to strength” (“Cresce lungo il cammino il suo vigore”, Ps 84:8) — will be present for the General Audience with Pope Francis.

In a note, the Director ad interim of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti said that, “accompanying [the Pope’s] gesture, the Holy Father asked the young people to remember him in a special way in their prayer, particularly by entrusting him to the Virgin Mary just a few days before the month of May” which is dedicated to the Mother of God.