On Christmas Eve, with hammer in hand, Pope Francis will open the Holy Door of St. Peter's
Basilica. This symbolic gesture heralds the beginning of a special year of Grace called a Jubilee.
But if you live in Rome, or have visited the city recently, you may be tempted to wonder whether
it really will be alright on the night.
Construction is still very much underway just about everywhere you look, and accusations of high-
level corruption and misappropriation of Jubilee funds have been flying around for a while.
Still, hopes are high that, when the times comes, the Eternal City will be at her eternal best and
live up to the Jubilee motto, which is: 'Pilgrims of Hope'.
Pope Francis’ strength and energy will certainly be put to the test next year: for starters, the Holy
Door of St. Peter's Basilica isn’t the only one he’ll open. He’s made it clear the doors of forgiveness
are open even for those who have committed the most serious sins, and for anyone who feels
they are far from God.
That’s why, the day after Christmas, he will symbolically open the door of a prison near Rome, the
same one he visited this past Holy Thursday, and where he washed the feet of 12 inmates…
After the prison, the Pope will go on to open the holy doors of the other three papal basilicas in
Rome: St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Walls.
Starting in January, the Pope will hold two General Audiences every week – on Wednesday, as usual, and again on Saturday – to ensure as many pilgrims as possible get to see him. One of the major events planned is the so-called Jubilee of Communication, which will bring together journalists from all over the world at the end of January. In February there will be Jubilee celebrations dedicated to Artists, the Police and the Army, and to Deacons.
March will see the Jubilee of Health Professionals and Volunteers, and at the end of April during
the Jubilee of Teenagers, the Pope will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis. Entrepreneurs and people representing the business world will have their own Jubilee in May. This will be followed by one for Families and Children. In June New Religious Movements and Communities will celebrate their Jubilee, and that will be followed by another dedicated to sportsmen and women.
The Jubilee for Young People is likely to be one of the highlights of the year, especially as it will
coincide with a meeting of Catholic 'influencers' in August. It’s expected to draw hundreds of
thousands of young people to Rome.
SPL
