He made the remarks a day after the start of the Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

The major tenants of the Church's jubilee, a once-every-25-year tradition, include forgiveness and reconciliation with adversaries, as well as pilgrimages to Rome.

"The Holy Father calls us to be signs of hope in a world which desperately needs it in this current moment!" wrote Bishop Hying.