Vatican City: The Vatican announced on Wednesday that more than 24 million pilgrims have journeyed to the Holy See since Pope Francis inaugurated the 2025 Jubilee Year. Traditionally celebrated once every 25 years, the Jubilee Year is a sacred period of reflection, pilgrimage, and spiritual renewal for Catholics worldwide.
Pope Francis officially opened the Jubilee Year on Christmas Eve 2024 by ceremonially opening the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, a symbolic gateway inviting the faithful into a year of mercy and reconciliation. Typically, the Holy Doors in Rome are limited to the four major basilicas: St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. In a historic move for 2025, Pope Francis also inaugurated a Jubilee Door at Rome’s Rebibbia Prison, extending the call to repentance and hope to society’s most marginalized.
The Vatican and the city of Rome had projected at least 30 million pilgrims for the Jubilee Year, and with over 24 million visiting within just nine months, officials anticipate the final number could surpass expectations. Pilgrims from across the globe continue to arrive, drawn not only to witness the historic Holy Doors but also to participate in special pilgrimages offering plenary indulgences and spiritual enrichment.
This massive influx has transformed Rome into a hub of devotion, where streets echo with prayers in multiple languages and churches overflow with worshippers. The Jubilee Year serves as a profound reminder of the universal nature of the Church, uniting millions of faithful under a shared journey of faith, reflection, and hope.