The Vatican has authorized the first LGBT Christian pilgrimage to Rome on September 6th during the Jubilee of 2025. Italian bishops, the Society of Jesus, and the holy institution authorized the pilgrimage titled, “Church, a Home for All: LGBT+ Christians and Other Existential Frontiers”.
The pilgrimage is set to begin at the Church of the Gesù in Rome, home to the relics of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella said everyone is welcome during this Jubilee, as the pilgrimage is now on the calendar like “many others.” Mr. Fisichella is the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and is charged with organizing the calendar at the Vatican. He clarified however that “these are not sponsored activities.”
The first LGBT Christian pilgrimage will be one of 365 uninterrupted pilgrimages in Rome over 2025
Amidst significant urban renovations, Rome is poised to welcome a continuous year of pilgrimages, including the event “Church, a Home for All: LGBTQ+ Christians and Other Existential Frontiers.”
The city expects to host close to 32 million pilgrims, as many dioceses and Catholic movements worldwide are organizing trips to the Italian capital. The largest group expected is 800,000 French pilgrims.
Those who make the trip will receive a plenary indulgence, and the full remission of the consequences of sins already forgiven. To obtain it, however, Pilgrims must first pass through one of the four holy doors the pope opened in late 2024.
📹 HIGHLIGHTS | As part of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, Pope Francis made history by opening a Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison in Rome for the first time, where he also celebrated Mass with the inmates. pic.twitter.com/2jnB1HHwiX
— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) December 26, 2024
This year’s Jubilee is part of a tradition that has occurred every 25 years since the 14th century and will have “Pilgrims of Hope” as its main theme. In the letter announcing the Jubilee, Pope Francis wrote, “The Christian community must be the first to support a social alliance for hope that is inclusive and not ideological.”
The Christian Jubilee is a year of forgiveness
The Catholic Church first adopted the Jubilee tradition in 1300, under Pope Boniface VIII. Originally it was meant to happen once every 100 years, but the church set it at once every 25 years for every generation to experience it at least once.
This celebration has Biblical roots, as the concept of the Jubilee comes from the Old Testament. God commands the Israelites to celebrate a Jubilee once every 50 years in Leviticus 25:8-13. During this time slaves were freed, debts were canceled and land was returned to its rightful owners.
Throughout history, there have also been Extraordinary Jubilee celebrations that have taken place outside of the 25 years. For instance, in 1933 Pope Pius XI declared an Extraordinary Jubilee to mark the 1,900th anniversary of Jesus’ death and resurrection. More recently, Pope Francis declared the Jubilee of Mercy in 2016, which focused on God’s mercy and the need for forgiveness in the world.