“Your presence in the square is a sign that in Italy the acute phase of the epidemic is over —but be careful, do not sing ‘Victory!’ yet, do not celebrate victory too soon,” Pope Francis told pilgrims on June 8, as he prayed for the pandemic’s victims. “It remains necessary to follow the rules in force carefully, because they are rules that help us to prevent the virus from gaining ground. Thanks to God we are coming out of it stronger, but always with the prescriptions given to us by the authorities.”