Pope Francis to Open Jubilee Holy Doors During Christmas Liturgies

As the global Catholic Church prepares for the highly anticipated 2025 Jubilee Year, Pope Francis has announced a series of significant liturgical events that will mark the beginning of this special year. The Vatican has released the Christmas liturgy schedule, which includes the opening of Jubilee Holy Doors, a profound symbol of faith, renewal, and hope for the faithful worldwide.

Opening the Jubilee of Hope

Pope Francis will inaugurate the Jubilee of Hope on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, with a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, where he will open the Holy Door of the Vatican Basilica. This act of opening the Holy Door symbolizes Christ as the sole path to salvation and invites pilgrims to embark on a spiritual journey toward renewal and reconciliation.

On Christmas Day, the Holy Father will deliver the traditional Urbi et Orbi (“To the City and the World”) blessing, extending a universal message of peace and hope to a fractured and hurting world.

Unique Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison

In a striking act of humility and solidarity with those on the margins, Pope Francis will preside at Mass in Rome’s Rebibbia Prison on the Feast of St. Stephen, December 26, 2024, where he will open the only Holy Door located outside a papal basilica. This gesture underscores the Pope’s consistent call for a “Church of the Poor,” extending the Jubilee’s graces to those often forgotten by society.

Christmas and New Year’s Liturgies

As the year draws to a close, Pope Francis will celebrate the First Vespers and Te Deum in St. Peter’s Basilica on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2024, offering thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year.

On New Year’s Day, January 1, 2025, the Pope will preside over a Mass to mark the 58th World Day of Peace, reinforcing the Jubilee theme of hope and peace in a world facing immense challenges.

The Christmas liturgies will conclude on January 6, with the celebration of the Solemnity of the Epiphany at St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Baptism of the Lord: A Personal Touch

Pope Francis will close the Christmas Season with a Mass on January 12, 2025, in the Sistine Chapel, where he will administer the Sacrament of Baptism to children of Vatican employees. This intimate ceremony reflects the Jubilee’s emphasis on renewal and grace for all ages and circumstances.

Pilgrimage: A Journey of Faith and Renewal

The 2025 Jubilee Year is expected to draw over 35 million pilgrims to Rome, making it a monumental global event. The Jubilee offers the faithful an opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence by passing through Holy Doors and performing acts of penance, charity, and prayer.

For young pilgrims, initiatives like those organized by JMJ Pilgrimages will provide transformative experiences, including visits to historical Christian sites such as the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the Appia Way catacombs, culminating in an audience with the Pope. These journeys are designed to help the youth rediscover their faith and become ambassadors of hope in their own communities.

Fr. Matt Berrios, Rector of Saint Patrick’s American Parish in Rome, described pilgrimage as a deeply sensory and spiritual experience. He emphasized that the Jubilee calls Catholics to “be the light of the world,” using their faith to inspire and guide others in a time of global turmoil.

A Global Call for Renewal

The Jubilee theme, “Hope Does Not Disappoint” (Spes Non Confundit), resonates powerfully in today’s world, urging Christians to rekindle their hope, embrace spiritual renewal, and serve as agents of peace and unity. The 2024 Year of Prayer, declared by Pope Francis as a preparatory period, has invited the faithful to reflect on their spiritual lives and vocation, setting the stage for the profound grace of the Jubilee Year.

The Significance of Holy Doors

The ceremonial opening of Holy Doors during the Jubilee serves as a reminder of Christ as the gateway to eternal life. Pilgrims who pass through these doors, accompanied by acts of repentance and devotion, experience a renewal of spirit and are invited to deepen their relationship with God.

The Holy Doors of Rome’s four major basilicas—St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls—will each host significant Jubilee events, culminating in their closure on January 6, 2026, at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Global Opening and Closing Dates for the Jubilee Year

The 2025 Jubilee Year will officially commence on December 24, 2024, with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica during the Christmas Eve Mass. The global faithful will be invited to participate in local celebrations starting the same day.

The Jubilee will conclude globally on December 28, 2025, in local churches and dioceses, with the sealing of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica on January 6, 2026.

Alternative Pilgrimage Sites Across the World

For those unable to travel to Rome, dioceses worldwide will open local Holy Doors to ensure all faithful can partake in the Jubilee celebrations. These include significant cathedrals, basilicas, and shrines around the globe. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church will mark the Jubilee at key locations in India, such as:

• St. Mary, Queen of Peace Basilica, Trivandrum (Yet to be confirmed)

Other notable sites globally include:

• The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico
• Santiago de Compostela, Spain
• The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, USA
• Lourdes and Lisieux, France

Pilgrims visiting these sites can pass through designated Holy Doors, participate in Jubilee liturgies, and receive plenary indulgences under the usual conditions of sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions.

The Way of the Pilgrim

The Jubilee is not merely an event but a way of life, echoing its etymological roots in the Hebrew word jobel, a ram’s horn blown to proclaim rest and renewal. Theologian Filomeno Lopez reflects that the Jubilee is a moment to pause and reflect on what truly matters in life. As pilgrims traverse holy sites, they are reminded of their transient nature on Earth and their call to leave behind a legacy of love and care for creation.

“Pilgrimage is a space where you reinforce this idea of coming together so that when you go back home, you really take something new with you,” Lopez said.

A Time for Grace and Hope

As we approach the Jubilee Year of 2025, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church joins the global Catholic community in prayerful anticipation of this extraordinary time of grace. Pope Francis’ call to embrace the theme of hope resonates deeply with our own mission of spreading the light of Christ to a world longing for renewal and peace.

The Jubilee is not just a journey to holy sites but a transformative experience that invites all to rediscover their faith, renew their hope, and recommit to acts of love and service. Let us prepare our hearts and communities to respond to this divine invitation, ensuring that the graces of the Jubilee Year radiate far beyond its ceremonial closure.

“Let us rejoice in the hope that does not disappoint, carrying forward the light of Christ in our words, deeds, and lives.”