The Diocese of Winona-Rochester on Friday ordained a deacon to the priesthood.

The diocese has ordained other individuals in the past, and it shared pictures of those events in a Facebook post on Thursday.

"Tomorrow, on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we will ordain Deacon Michael Churchill to the priesthood," the diocese said on Facebook. "Pray for Deacon Michael as he prepares for his ordination and for all of the priests in our Diocese. St. John Vianney, patron of priests, pray for us!"

The Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on June 24, the same day as World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, Vatican News reported.

The sacred heart celebration began in the 17th century in France, and in 1856, Pope Pius IX established the celebration as an obligatory feast day, Vatican News reported. St. John Paul II determined in 1995 that World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests should be on the same day to represent Jesus' protection of the priesthood in his heart.

"There is in the Sacred Heart the symbol and express image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love in return," Pope Leo XIII said about the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as shared by the diocese in a Facebook post.

St. John Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests, the Encyclopaedia Britannica reported. He grew up during the French Revolution, so he lacked education and was forced to practice religion in secrecy. As a priest, he was known as a confessor and for his devotion to the Virgin Mary. From 1845 until his death in 1859, 20,000 people would travel annually to see Vianney and confess to him.