Pope Francis ushered in Christmas for the world’s Roman Catholics with a reflective Mass on Christmas Eve at St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the 12th Christmas of his papacy.
The Mass also signaled the start of the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, a time the Vatican expects to draw around 32 million visitors to Rome.
In his sermon, the Pope highlighted the theme of hope, the cornerstone of the Holy Year. He portrayed hope not just as a passive feeling but as a powerful call to action. “Hope compels us … to be disturbed by injustice and to find the courage to change it,” he urged.
A Catholic Holy Year, or Jubilee, is a rare moment of peace, forgiveness, and spiritual rejuvenation, celebrated once every 25 years. During this special period, pilgrims visiting Rome can receive indulgences, which offer the remission of sins.
This Jubilee will run until January 6, 2026. In a symbolic gesture, Pope Francis oversaw the opening of a special bronze-panelled “Holy Door” at St. Peter’s Basilica, a door that only opens during Jubilee years.
The Vatican is anticipating a daily stream of up to 100,000 pilgrims passing through this sacred threshold throughout 2025.
The Pope also renewed his plea for wealthier nations to address the crushing debt of poorer countries. “The Jubilee calls us to spiritual renewal and challenges us to transform the world,” he declared. “It’s a time for the poorest nations suffering under unjust debts; a time for those enslaved by both old and new forms of bondage.”
This mirrors the campaign launched by Pope John Paul II during the Jubilee year of 2000, which resulted in the cancellation of $130 billion in debt between 2000 and 2015.
Despite battling a cold, which the Vatican confirmed, Pope Francis carried out his duties with vigor, though his voice carried a slight rasp. On Christmas Day, he is set to deliver his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” message and blessing to the faithful worldwide.
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