Pope Francis on Sunday spearheaded the blessing and inauguration of two Caritas houses, one for the poor and another for the elderly, in Krakow, Poland.

The event was part of Francis' five-day visit to Pope John Paul II's homeland that culminated in the World Youth Day gathering on Sunday.

The centers were built by Caritas Poland and Caritas Internationalis. Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, Archbishop of Manila and the current president of Caritas Internationalis, was also in Poland for the international youth event.

“This has been a mark of Papal visits," Tagle said in an interview with Radio Vaticana, referring to the houses. "For example, in the Philippines, when the Pope visited last year, [he] also gave—apart from his fatherly presence—a gift that would remain and benefit the poor, and that's the same thing happening here.”

Tagle added that this year's World Youth Day is very much tied to the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, a period of forgiveness declared by the Pope that began on December 8, 2015 and will end on November 16, 2016.

"The theme is be merciful as the Father is merciful, and so aside from the festivities and the obvious joy that the coming together of young people always generates, there is also the very great manifestation of love and mercy. And the holy father, in the name of the youth, is giving this gift of two centers for the poor," he said in the radio interview.

 

* EN: With a smile and open arms, you proclaim hope and you are a blessing for our one human family! * PT: Com o vosso sorriso e os vossos braços abertos, pregais esperança e sois uma bênção para a única família humana! * ES: ¡Con vuestra sonrisa y vuestros brazos abiertos predicáis la esperanza y sois una bendición para la única familia humana! * ITA: Col vostro sorriso e con le vostre braccia aperte voi predicate speranza e siete una benedizione per l’unica famiglia umana! * PL: Z waszym u?miechem i otwartymi ramionami g?osicie nadziej? i jeste?cie b?ogos?awie?stwem dla jednej rodziny ludzkiej! * FR: Avec votre sourire et avec vos bras ouverts, prêchez l’espérance et soyez une bénédiction pour l’unique famille humaine ! * DE : Mit eurem Lächeln und mit euren offenen Armen predigt ihr Hoffnung und seid ein Segen für die eine Menschheitsfamilie ! #Krakow2016, #SDM, #JMJ, #GMG, #WJT, @wydkrakow2016

A photo posted by Pope Francis (@franciscus) on

Jul 31, 2016 at 1:59pm PDT

Tagle added that Pope calls out to young people to be “protagonists in constructing a world that is destroyed by a lack of mercy, to take their vocation seriously,” and that he urges the youth to enjoy the gifts of energy, zest, idealism, and the capacity to dream and use them for the service of humanity and for a better world. — Bianca Rose Dabu/BM, GMA News