Christmas under the sign of the Jubilee: Pope Francis opened on Tuesday December 24 the Holy Year 2025 of the Catholic Church, a great international pilgrimage for which more than 30 million faithful from all over the world are expected in Rome. Shortly after 7 p.m., in the presence of some 30,000 people and in full vision, the Argentine Jesuit opened the Holy Door of Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, symbolizing the inauguration of this “ordinary Jubilee”. Throughout the year, pilgrims will be able to pass through this heavy bronze door, normally walled up, in order to receive the “plenary indulgence”, the forgiveness of sins according to tradition.
The 88-year-old pope, recently weakened by a cold, will then preside over Christmas Eve mass in St. Peter's Basilica before giving his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the city and to the world”) blessing on Wednesday at 12 p.m. “). “Just being here I already feel blessed”confided Lisbeth Dembele, a French tourist. “It was a special occasion for us, for the whole family”added her husband, Marcel Dembele, who hopes that the pope will call for a “just peace”.
He should in fact undertake an overview of conflicts in the world and renew his calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East, three days after his criticisms against the “cruelty” strikes in Gaza which sparked protests from Israeli diplomacy.
Enhanced security
After the deadly attack on a Christmas market in Germany, security was reinforced around the Vatican. Some 700 additional agents have been deployed to Rome, the Italian Interior Ministry announced.
The opening of the “Holy Door” will be followed in the coming days by those of the three other major basilicas of Rome (St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran) and thousands more in churches across the globe. Faithful to his attachment to the marginalized, Francis wants to celebrate this tradition on Thursday in the Roman prison of Rebibbia, where he will preside over a mass as a sign of closeness with the inmates.
Important works
The last “ordinary” Jubilee, organized in the year 2000 under John Paul II, brought together 25 million people. Organized every twenty-five years, the Jubilee is intended as a time of conversion and penance for the faithful. It is accompanied by a long list of cultural and religious events: masses, exhibitions, conferences, concerts.
To prepare for this, Rome was the scene of major works which put the patience of motorists to the test to restore monuments and ease traffic flow. Among the most emblematic, a tunnel near Castel Sant'Angelo, a stone's throw from the Vatican, inaugurated Monday by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who saw a “little miracle” in the completion of the site.
In a city already stormed by millions of visitors and known for the failure of its public transport, the event raises questions about overtourism and environmental impact, while the pope has made integral ecology a pillar of his pontificate.
A manga mascot
Although it is primarily aimed at the approximately 1.4 billion Catholics, the Jubilee goes beyond the religious framework, like the sale of numerous derivative products: water bottles, caps and T-shirts bearing the official logo. Contrary to its historical heritage – it was Pope Boniface VIII who established this tradition in Rome in 1300 – the event has been modernized and equipped with an application for smartphones in six languages bringing together practical information, interactive maps, timetables and QR codes. It even has its mascot, “Luce” (“light” in Latin), a character inspired by manga pop culture, an unprecedented choice on the part of the Vatican which has sparked criticism but in which some see a desire for generational renewal.
Called “Pilgrims of Hope”, this edition will see groups from all over the world succeed one another for a year: young people, migrants, artists, musicians, associations, the world of sport, business or the educational sector are thus invited to the Vatican to specific dates. Note the registration on the official pilgrimage website at the beginning of September of the Italian Catholic LGBTI+ association La Tenda di Gionata, while the Argentine Pope multiplies his calls for a Church open to “all”.
