Vatican City, Aug 18, 2020 / 05:30 am
Pope Francis has approved the extension of the Jubilee Year of Loreto to 2021.
The decision was announced Aug. 14 by Archbishop Fabio Dal Cin, the prelate of the Shrine of Our Lady of Loreto, Italy, after the recitation of the rosary on the Vigil of the Assumption.
The jubilee year, which began Dec. 8, 2019, marks the 100th anniversary of the official proclamation of Our Lady of Loreto as the patroness of pilots and air passengers. The jubilee was due to end Dec. 10 this year, the feast of Our Lady of Loreto, but will now run until Dec. 10, 2021, because of disruption due to the coronavirus crisis.
According to the official jubilee year website, Dal Cin described the gesture as a "great gift" for those connected to aviation, as well as devotees of Our Lady of Loreto.