Pope Francis has introduced a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday, 25 July, the Sunday closest to the feast of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of Mary, grandparents of Jesus, whose memorial is on 26 July.

We are being invited to celebrate grandparents, elders, older priests and religious, who have given lives of dedicated service to their families and communities.

Extract from Pope’s message on World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly:

‘Even at the darkest moments, as in these months of pandemic, the Lord continues to send angels to console our loneliness and to remind us: “I am with you always”. He says this to you, and he says it to me. That is the meaning of this Day, which I wanted to celebrate for the first time in this particular year, as a long period of isolation ends and social life slowly resumes. May every grandfather, every grandmother, every older person, especially those among us who are most alone, receive the visit of an angel!’