Pope Francis is one of the most influential religious figures in the world. His leadership represents the 1.2 billion Catholics around the world. The current Pope Francis and retired Pope Benedict received the Covid-19 vaccine previously this year. Pope Francis had a portion of his lung removed when he was 21 due to a recurring lung infection. With Covid-19 having detrimental effects on the lungs, it was very logical for Pope Francis to take the extra precaution to protect himself.

Many have denied getting the Covid-19 vaccine because of religion-based reasoning. So, when the Pope announced his enthusiastic support of the controversial vaccine, it came as a surprise to many.

In a worldwide campaign on Wednesday, Pope Francis declared that receiving the Covid-19 vaccine was “an act of love.”

“Thanks to God and the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19,” the 84-year-old Francis stated for the “It’s Up to You” campaign.

The influential leader expressed that vaccination is an easy way of fostering the health and wellness of those around oneself. As Christians, we care for each other as God cares for us, particularly the vulnerable population.

“They grant us the hope of ending the pandemic, but only if they are available to all and if we work together,” he declared in the video campaign, targeting countries that have the highest rates of the virus in North, Central and South America.

“Being vaccinated… is an act of love,” the 84-year-old said. “And contributing to ensure the majority of people are vaccinated is an act of love. Love for oneself, love for one’s family and friends, love for all people”.

The Covid-19 virus has taken the lives of over four million people since the origin of the pandemic in December 2019. In spite of the ongoing promotions to get vaccinated, many are still reluctant to receive it. Many in this country do not trust the vaccine’s safety because of its production time, its untrustworthy government officials campaigning in favor of it, or just generally being against all vaccinations. As a result, the country is divided on a significant public health decision, and the deadly virus continues to run rampant. The U.S. is one of the worst-affected countries in terms of COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations of the unvaccinated.

Pope Francis was accompanied by archbishops and cardinals from Honduras, Brazil, El Salvador, Peru, and Mexico for more Covid-19 vaccine promotion. The campaign is being ran by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development, the Ad Council, and “Covid Collaborative”.