A free PDF of the book was available on the website of the Vatican Publishing House in various languages, but according to Vatican News, there were requests for a print version.
Fr. Giulio Cesareo, editorial director of the Vatican Publishing House, told Vatican News Pope Francis "is a father, a spiritual guide who accompanied us as we lived that period [of lockdown]."
"His homilies are precious because they are not only valid for back then. We still experience conflicts, shame, difficulties in praying. We were perhaps more receptive and attentive to what he told us back then," he said. "But it is important to keep his words with us so as to allow ourselves to be continually nourished by the beautiful things he said that concern life."
During Italy's 10-week lockdown, a measure taken to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis livestreamed his daily morning Mass in the Vatican guesthouse where he lives, the Casa Santa Marta.
The pope would open every Mass by offering a prayer intention related to the health crisis.
Afterwards, he would lead those following the Mass from home in making an act of spiritual communion, and hold around 10 minutes of silent adoration of the Eucharist.