During a Penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 25, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

“Celebrating an act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means expressing that faith, hope, and charity are the normal, real conditions for true coexistence among peoples,” said Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of Moscow. “It means expressing that mercy and forgiveness are a gift that God gives to those who first consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”