Pope Francis prays beneath the statue of the Virgin Mary on the occasion of Immaculate Conception day, at the Spanish Steps, in Rome, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. Pope Francis paid a surprise visit to the statue early Tuesday after last week the Vatican announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic his annual pilgrimage to the statue in the center of Rome would be cancelled to avoid contagion due to gatherings. (Vatican News via AP)