On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis reflected on the humble birth of Jesus, emphasizing its universal message of hope and the potential for everyone to contribute to a better world.
Leading the 12th Christmas of his pontificate, the pope presided over a solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the start of the 2025 Catholic Holy Year. The Vatican anticipates that the Jubilee, themed around hope, will draw 32 million pilgrims to Rome through January 2026.
In his sermon, Francis called for courage and transformation. “Hope calls us to be unsettled by what is wrong and to find the courage to change it,” he said, urging the faithful to leave behind mediocrity and embrace renewal.
Opening the Holy Year
The pope ceremonially opened the bronze-panelled Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, which remains closed except during Jubilee years. This symbolic act heralds a year of spiritual renewal, forgiveness, and pilgrimage. The Vatican expects up to 100,000 visitors daily to pass through the Holy Door.
A Jubilee for the World’s Poor
Francis also repeated his appeal to developed nations to use the Holy Year to alleviate the debt burden of low-income countries. He described the Jubilee as “a time of renewal for the poor countries burdened by unjust debts and for all those enslaved by old and new forms of bondage.”
The pontiff’s call echoes a similar plea by Pope John Paul II during the 2000 Jubilee, which resulted in $130 billion in debt cancellation for impoverished nations between 2000 and 2015.
Despite battling a cold, Francis, who turned 88 this month, appeared in good spirits. On Christmas Day, he is set to deliver his traditional Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message and blessing.