Pope Francis is not shy about his defense of the elderly, so much so that two years ago, he established the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. 

The third celebration of the day is coming up on July 23, the Vatican News said in a report, and the pope is making his advocacy known in the weeks leading up to the day. 

“The elderly entrust the past to the present in order to construct the future. Let us honor them, neither depriving ourselves of their company nor depriving them of ours,” the pope said in his tweet. “May we never allow the elderly to be cast aside!” 

When Pope Francis established the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly in 2021, it was designated to be celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of July. That period was selected so that World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly would always be observed close to the Feast Day of St. Anne and St. Joachim. St. Anne and St. Joachim were the parents of Mary and are considered to be the grandparents of Jesus. The Feast Day of St. Anne and St. Joachim takes place annually on July 26, the Vatican News report added.

"The Holy Spirit, who had earlier descended upon Mary, prompted her to respond with the Magnificat, in which she proclaimed that the Lord’s mercy is from generation to generation," Pope Francis said in an extended message that the Vatican conveyed. "That same Spirit blesses and accompanies every fruitful encounter between different generations: between grandparents and grandchildren, between young and old. God wants young people to bring joy to the hearts of the elderly, as Mary did to Elizabeth, and gain wisdom from their experiences. Yet, above all, the Lord wants us not to abandon the elderly or to push them to the margins of life, as tragically happens all too often in our time.

"The World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly is meant to be a small but precious sign of hope for them and for the whole Church,” the pontiff continued. "I renew my invitation to everyone – dioceses, parishes, associations and communities – to celebrate this day and to make it the occasion of a joyful and renewed encounter between young and old."

When created, the intent of World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly was defined as a way to ensure that grandparents and the elderly are appreciated for their value and significance. The elderly often feel neglected or marginalized around the world, and the pope hopes to boost their feelings of self-worth through the annual celebration. 

Pope Francis said the theme for this year is "His mercy is from age to age." The pope stressed the significance of intergenerational connections, underscoring the importance of the need for the younger generation to form relationships with the elderly, the Holy See said in a statement.