Pope Francis will formally open the Catholic Church’s Holy Year, also known as the Jubilee Year, during a solemn ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve. The 88-year-old pontiff will symbolically open the Holy Door, traditionally sealed from the inside, and walk through it, marking the beginning of this sacred period.
The Catholic Church celebrates a Holy Year every 25 years, providing an opportunity for believers to seek spiritual renewal. During this time, pilgrims can gain forgiveness of sins through prayer, penance, and acts of faith, including a pilgrimage to Rome and passing through Holy Doors at designated sites. Those who meet the requirements may receive a plenary indulgence, removing all temporal punishment for sin.
The Holy Year is expected to draw more than 30 million pilgrims and visitors to Rome, with some estimates reaching as high as 45 million. Following the opening of the Holy Door, Pope Francis will celebrate the traditional Christmas Mass, officially beginning the Vatican’s Christmas festivities.
The Pope is expected to use the occasion to advocate for peace, particularly in the context of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. He recently called for a Christmas truce in response to these wars.
In Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, Christmas celebrations are expected to be subdued due to the ongoing Gaza conflict. While the customary procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and the midnight Mass will proceed, there will be no festive decorations or lighting of the Christmas tree in front of the Church of the Nativity.
