Rome, the center of Christianity, is celebrating a Holy Year in 2025. It is also called Jubilee Year. The motto is “Pilgrims of Hope”.
During the Jubilee Year, the Church invites people to make a pilgrimage to Rome. The pilgrims are to recharge their batteries and set out into the future with an intense experience of grace and hope.
A central element of the Jubilee is indulgence, God’s limitless forgiveness. The penitent pilgrim receives the indulgence through his pilgrimage and by passing through the Holy Door.
Where to find the Holy Door (Porta Santa)
The most famous Porta Santa is located in St. Peter’s Basilica. It is the first door on the right side of the portico and is passed through by millions of pilgrims during the Holy Year. It is only open in Holy Years and you enter St. Peter’s through it. There are also Holy Doors in the three other Roman Papal Basilicas of St. Paul, St. John, and Santa Maria Maggiore. Pilgrims who find the lines at St. Peter’s too long can choose one of these three basilicas to pass through the Holy Door.
Unlike other Jubilee years, there will be no other Holy Doors in 2025, except for one in a Roman prison.
The Pilgrims Welcome Center
The Vatican has opened a Pilgrims’ Center for the Jubilee Year at Via della Conciliazione 7, about 500 meters from St. Peter’s Square. It is an information point for all pilgrims’ questions. It is intended to be a meeting place, offering general information and the possibility of registering for ecclesial events.
The Pilgrim’s Card
By registering on the Jubilee website, you will have the opportunity to register for Jubilee events. Once registered, you will receive a QR code to manage your Pilgrim’s Card offers.
In addition, invitation cards are required for most events and can be requested from the Prefecture of the Papal Household.
The Testimonium
The Testimonium is available at the Pilgrim Center and certifies that the pilgrim has walked at least 100 kilometers or cycled at least 200 kilometers. The historical pilgrim routes to Rome are known collectively as the Via Francigena. On the Via Francigena website you will find all the information about the pilgrimage route.
The Jubilee Churches
Of the more than 900 churches in Rome, 12 have been selected as meeting places for pilgrims. Here you will find spiritual direction and support in various languages, as well as the opportunity to simply rest. Most of the churches are located in the center of the city. Outside of the city is Sanctuary of Divine Love (Divino Amore), which can be reached by taking the 218 bus. See our interactive map for a list and location of the churches.
The Pilgrimage of the Seven Churches
The tradition of the Seven Churches Pilgrimage dates back to the 16th century. The route begins at St. Peter’s Basilica and ends at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Along the almost 20-kilometer route you can visit St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Sebastian with the catacombs on the Appia Antica, St. John, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and St. Lawrence at the Verano monumental cemetery.
Most of the route can be covered by public transport. Bus number 23 goes from St. Peter’s to St. Paul’s. You can walk the 4 kilometers from St. Paul’s to St. Sebastian’s. From there, walk through the park of the Calixtus Catacombs to the Quo Vadis bus stop and take bus 218 to St. John’s Basilica. From St. John’s, take the number 3 tram to the Basilicas of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and St. Lawrence. For the last part of the trip to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, take the tram number 3 back and change to bus number 16, 85 or 87 at San Giovanni or, even better, at the crossroads with Via Merulana. You can also walk from San Giovanni along Via Merulana to Santa Maria Maggiore. For more information, see our article on the Seven Churches Pilgrimage Route.
Events for the Jubilee 2025
Many events will take place during the Holy Year. Details of the events can be found in our information for each month.
Beginning and End of the Jubilee Year 2025
The Jubilee Year 2025 begins with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica by Pope Francis on December 24, 2024, and ends with its closing on January 6, 2026. Other Holy Doors will be opened in the papal basilicas of Rome, namely in the Basilica of St. John Lateran on December 29, 2024, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore on January 1, 2025, and in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on January 5, 2025. These Holy Doors will be closed again on December 28, 2025.
The next Holy Year
While the ordinary Holy Years are celebrated every 25 years, the year 2025 is also intended to prepare for the Extraordinary Jubilee in 2033, which will be marked by the redemption through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.
Historical roots of the Jubilee
The tradition of the Holy Year dates back to 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Jubilee Year. Originally intended to occur only once every century, the frequency was soon increased to 25 years to allow more generations to participate. The Jubilee offers the faithful special opportunities for penance, prayer, and indulgence by visiting the most important churches in Rome.