► Jubilee 2025 on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”
The Jubilee Year 2025 began with the opening of the first Holy Door – that of Saint Peter's Basilica – by the Pope on December 24. Since Pope Boniface VIII who established a Holy Year in 1300, the Jubilee has been a special moment in the life of the Catholic Church.
“It is a time when we experience that the holiness of God transforms us”, indicates the site specially launched by the Vatican for the Jubilee 2025 which will have the theme: “Pilgrims of Hope”. 32 million people are expected in Rome for the Holy Year, according to figures communicated by the diocese of Rome, including more than a million for the Youth Jubilee, at the end of July-beginning of August, and around 300,000 adolescents for the Jubilee dedicated to this age group, from April 25 to 27. The Vatican even adopted its mascot, “Luce”, for the occasion. Other Jubilees will punctuate the year, celebrating: deacons, the Eastern Churches and even the poor…
► “Bel Espoir”, the Mediterranean Meetings schooner will sail across the Our Sea
A three-masted schooner, called “Bel Espoir” will transport 200 young people of all faiths and religions – involved in the civil society of their countries – from 1is March to October 26. It is the Church of Marseille which is at the origin of this project, part of the Mediterranean Meetings. Initiated in Bari in 2020, they allow the sharing of experience between people from the five shores of the Mediterranean and from “build the same hope” according to the formula established by the Pope, during the last meetings in Marseille, in 2023. Designed as a training ship for peace, the schooner will train these young people, aged 20 to 35, in the art of weaving links between cultures and religions.
► The 20th anniversary of the death of John Paul II
April 2, 2025 will mark twenty years since the death of Pope John Paul II, whose pontificate lasted 26 years, from 1978 to his death in 2005, at the age of 84. Karol Wojtyla is the first Pole to sit on Peter's seat. His pontificate was marked by 14 encyclicals. Often presented as an extraordinary pope, one who was sometimes nicknamed “God’s athlete” participated in shaking the Iron Curtain.
John Paul II, who traveled extensively around the world, escaped an assassination attempt in 1981 in Rome. It was under his pontificate that the last jubilee year took place, that of 2000, during which the Church made an act of repentance for the errors and mistakes committed in its history. John Paul II was canonized on April 27, 2014 by Pope Francis, the same day as John XXIII.
► The Conference of Bishops of France elects its new president
The Spring Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Bishops of France (CEF) will be held in Lourdes from March 31 to April 4, 2025. In addition to the usual work of the episcopate, it will be marked by the election of a new president of the CEF. Mgr Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, Archbishop of Reims, is coming to the end of his second mandate of three years.
He was elected for the first time in the spring of 2019. His presidency at the head of the Conference of Bishops of France was particularly marked by the publication of the report of the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (Ciase), the October 5, 2021.
► Canonization of Carlo Acutis, the “geek of God”
On the occasion of the Jubilee 2025, in particular that of adolescents, Carlo Acutis will be canonized on April 27, 2025 in Rome, as announced by Pope Francis on November 20, 2024. The Italian teenager, who died at the age of 15 severe leukemia, is considered a “cyber-apostle”. He is nicknamed “the geek of God” because it is on the Internet that he broadcasts and shares his faith. He was beatified in 2020 and is buried at the Santa Maria Maggiore sanctuary in Rome.
► “La Place”: the gathering of evangelicals from France
The evangelicals of France will gather from May 8 to 10 at the Parc floral in Paris, for the event called “La Place”. This gathering is organized by the Oïkonomia Foundation and the Evangelical Center. “It is a time of meetings and celebration, to live our faith, to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and to enter together into the mission he entrusts to us – putting the Word of God into action in our lives”we can read on the website dedicated to the event, with a varied program of artists, conferences and workshops on the theme: “from words to actions!” »
► Centenary of the canonization of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
In France, and particularly at the sanctuary of Lisieux (Calvados), the year 2025 will be that of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the canonization of Saint Thérèse, on May 17. Thérèse of Lisieux is considered one of the greatest mystics of the 19th century.e century, made famous by the posthumous publication of his autobiographical writings in 1898, Story of a soul.
The Sainte-Thérèse sanctuary offers activities throughout the year for “walk through Lisieux, in the footsteps of Sainte-Thérèse” with a more special program Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18 and in particular a procession of the relics of Carmel to the basilica. Another celebration of the centenary of canonization in 2025, that of the Curé of Ars, Father Jean-Marie Vianney.
► The 1,700 years of the Council of Nicaea
In 2025, Christians commemorate 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea, today known as İznik in Türkiye. From May 20 to July 25, 325, the first universal ecumenical council was held, convened by the Emperor Constantine (280-337), converted to Christianity, which brought together around 300 bishops from all the provinces of the Empire. During this council, the foundations of Christianity were defined. The fathers of the Church established the dogma of the consubstantiality of Christ with the Father and set the date for the celebration of Easter.
On June 28, 2024, Pope Francis, who received a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, said he wanted to go to Turkey in 2025, to celebrate the anniversary of this “ momentous event “. On the occasion of this commemoration, the sixth World Conference of Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC) will take place from October 24 to 28, 2025 near Alexandria in Egypt and will have the theme “What horizons for visible unity ? “.
► The 10th edition of the Mission Congress in Bercy
The Accor Arena, formerly known as the Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy, will host the Mission Congress from November 7 to 9, on the occasion of its 10e edition. Qualified as “laboratory of evangelization”the Mission Congress has established itself as a flagship event in the French Catholic landscape.
One of the major themes of this event is summarized in a question: “How can we propose faith today in France? » After a 2024 edition relocated to 140 missions throughout the country, the 10th edition of the Mission Congress will therefore be centralized in a single location. A delegation from the Mission Congress will be in Rome on January 10 to explain to Pope Francis the challenges of this major meeting.
► The Taizé European meeting in Paris
From December 28, 2025 to 1is January 2026, Paris will host the European meeting in Taizé. The last meeting in France dates back more than ten years, in Strasbourg, in 2013. Paris has not hosted the event since 2002. “ I have been thinking about inviting the Taizé community for a long time », Explained Mgr Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, who knows the community established in Burgundy well. The Taizé community organizes this meeting for young people at the end of each year.
