Thousands of prayers offered from the region, directed towards Pope Leo XIV, in Rome
Jubilee 2025: A Global Gathering of Faith and Unity
Rome, Italy, played host to an extraordinary event last summer, the Jubilee of Young People, held from July 28 to August 3, 2025, during the Holy Year. This momentous occasion brought together hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from 146 countries, making it a truly global gathering.
The Jubilee was a significant event for young people, offering a unique spiritual and communal experience. The week-long celebration was filled with prayer, cultural activities, concerts, and large-scale religious services, including a Prayer Vigil with Pope Leo XIV at Tor Vergata on August 2, followed by a Papal Mass on August 3. These events were attended by around one million pilgrims.
For young Spaniards and others, the Jubilee was more than just a religious event. It was a social, cultural, and emotional milestone. Young pilgrims engaged in continuous prayers, hymns, and confession activities while experiencing communal life with thousands of peers in safe, well-organized settings. This created a "city within a city" at Fiera Roma and other venues, ensuring their comfort and security during the celebration.
Pope Leo XIV was greeted with applause and ovations upon arrival at the Tor Vergata esplanade. During the event, he surprised more than 120,000 young people attending the inaugural mass in St. Peter's Square. The Vatican City even allowed a delegation of Spain to hold a meeting with a local vocation in St. Peter's Square for the first time.
Event organizers provided 'vouchers' to attendees to eat at establishments in the area, allowing young people to enjoy the flavors that represent the essence of Italy. Many young people visited iconic monuments in Rome, such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain.
During the vigil, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed, "You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world," and called for global fraternity. He reflected on the importance of sincere friendship, the value of decision-making, and the call of every person to the good during his responses. Luis Argüello, the president of the Episcopal Conference, encouraged those present to bear witness to the "beauty of believing in God" during the meeting in St. Peter's Square.
Jaime Bernal, a 19-year-old from Ciudad Real, expressed gratitude for the Jubilee experience, describing it as an "experience of communion in the Church." Bernal emphasized that the Church is alive and that young people want to feel loved. He also noted that not many journalists know how to tell the story of over a million people remaining silent before the Eucharist.
Argüello proclaimed, "We are pilgrims, brothers, not tourists. We are witnesses of the Gospel, we are the Church on a mission." He warned about the risk of spiritual tourism during his homily. Bernal stated that young people thirst for God and that faith is not waning, but silent.
The Jubilee 2025 was called by Pope Francis during the World Youth Day in Lisbon. The event gathered more than one million people in Rome, Italy. During his tour of the Tor Vergata esplanade in a popemobile, Pope Leo XIV took the time to greet attendees. Robert Petrov, a translator, responded to questions posed by young people in Italian, Spanish, and English during the vigil.
In summary, the Jubilee 2025 was an exceptional Holy Year event centered on youth, marked by large-scale participation, direct engagement with Pope Leo XIV, and a robust effort to support and spiritually energize young Catholics from Spain and worldwide. The event provided a platform for spiritual growth, fostered a sense of global Catholic unity among youth, and reinforced faith, making it a once-in-25-years spiritual encounter for many.
People from various countries traveled to Rome, Italy, for the Jubilee 2025, experiencing a unique lifestyle immersed in faith and unity. During the event, many young pilgrims engaged in communal activities, such as praying, singing hymns, and participating in large-scale religious services, culminating in a week-long celebration that brought together over one million people.
