Pope Francis prayed at the graves of children and of miscarried babies on the feast of All Souls before concelebrating Mass with several hundred mourners.

Pope Francis has paid his respects on Saturday to the “Garden of Angels,” an area in Rome’s third largest cemetery which houses the graves of stillborn and miscarried children.

Pope Francis paid his respects on Saturday to the “Garden of Angels,” an area in Rome’s third largest cemetery which houses the graves of stillborn and miscarried children. Francis celebrated All Souls’ Day Mass at the Laurentino cemetery,

Upon arrival, Francis laid white roses on a memorial stone marking the Garden of Angels and silently prayed for several moments.

For All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2, Francis will continue his custom of holding a Mass in a local cemetery to pray for the dead, especially the holy souls in purgatory.