The Vatican's 2025 Holy Year concluded on January 6, with Pope Leo XIV formally closing the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The Jubilee registered approximately 33.5 million pilgrims, surpassing initial projections. During the closing events, Pope Leo XIV addressed themes of consumerism, anti-foreigner sentiment, and the pursuit of peace, while Italian civil authorities highlighted inter-agency collaboration for the event's execution.
Conclusion of the Jubilee
Pope Leo XIV concluded the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, January 6, by performing the traditional closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The ceremony involved him pulling the doors shut after kneeling in prayer, taking place at the beginning of the Mass celebrating the feast of Epiphany.
This Jubilee marked a rare historical occurrence, being only the second instance in history, after 1700, where a Holy Year was initiated by one pontiff and concluded by another. The 2025 Jubilee was opened by Pope Francis in December 2024 and continued through his funeral and the subsequent conclave before being closed by his successor, Pope Leo XIV, who is the first American pontiff.
Pilgrim Participation and Demographics
The Vatican reported approximately 33,475,369 pilgrims participated in the 2025 Jubilee, a figure often rounded to 33.5 million. This exceeded an initial projection of 31 million pilgrims estimated by Roma Tre University. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and an organizer of the Jubilee, noted that this figure was an estimate and might include duplicate counts, with no distinction provided between Jubilee pilgrims and general tourist numbers for the period.
Pilgrims arrived from 185 countries, with demographic data indicating:
- 62% originated from Europe, with Italy contributing the highest number of participants.
- North America accounted for 17% of pilgrims.
- Following Italy, the largest contingents of pilgrims arrived from the United States, Spain, Brazil, and Poland.
Pontifical Statements and Themes
In his Tuesday homily, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Christians to reflect on Biblical teachings concerning the welcome of strangers and resistance to "the flattery and seduction of those in power." He referred to the economy as "distorted," stating it aims "to profit from everything," and questioned whether the Jubilee had fostered a departure from an efficiency that "reduces everything to a product and human beings to consumers."
During a special Epiphany prayer delivered from the basilica loggia, Pope Leo XIV reiterated themes of peace and "a redistribution of the land and its resources" to those in need. He articulated a desire for "fairness" to replace "inequality" and for "the industry of war" to be replaced by "the craft of peace." Thousands of individuals were present in St. Peter's Square during the prayer.
Jubilee's Stated Spiritual Focus and Volunteer Contributions
Archbishop Rino Fisichella stated that the spiritual dimension was a primary focus of the Jubilee, aiming to foster prayer and conversion. He reported high attendance levels at Papal Basilicas and other prayer sites, including the Holy Stairs, noting an increase in confessions and the celebration of indulgences. Fisichella remarked that the Jubilee's objective, articulated in the Bull of Indiction Spes non confundit, was to provide an opportunity for individuals to rekindle hope.
The event relied on the contributions of 7,000 volunteers. This included 5,000 individuals who served throughout the Jubilee Year and an additional 2,000 members of the Order of Malta, who provided first-aid services at the four Papal Basilicas.
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Infrastructure
The planning and execution of the Jubilee involved collaboration between the Church and Italian civil authorities, a process referred to as the “Jubilee method.”
Representatives from Italian civil authorities provided statements regarding this collaboration:
- Alfredo Mantovano, Secretary of the Council of Ministers of Italy, described the method as a state administration coordinating, rather than directing, other administrations. He highlighted coordination meetings designed to resolve problems and emphasized that results were viewed as collective achievements, stating this approach enabled a faster pace of operations.
- Roberto Gualtieri, Mayor of Rome and Extraordinary Government Commissioner for the Jubilee, reported that Rome and its residents accommodated the pilgrims without hindering the city's capacity to serve tourists or citizens. He stated that the Jubilee acted as a driving force for the city and that the spirit of the pilgrims resonated with Romans.
- Francesco Rocca, President of the Lazio Region, explained that the "Jubilee Method" facilitated a calm and collaborative working environment among coordination groups. Emergency medical services recorded 580,000 interventions, an increase of 40,000 compared to the previous year. Emergency room visits totaled 1,600,000, which was 100,000 more than the year prior.
- Lamberto Giannini, Rome’s Prefect, outlined the security forces' approach, which focused on preventing issues and conveying security without militarization.
For Rome, Jubilees often involve significant public funding for urban development projects. For the 2025 Jubilee, approximately 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) were allocated for infrastructure improvements. The primary public works project for the 2025 Jubilee involved extending Via della Conciliazione with a pedestrian piazza along the Tiber River, connecting it to Castel St. Angelo, and diverting a major road into an underground tunnel.
Historically, Holy Years have been associated with major public works, such as the Sistine Chapel for the 1475 Jubilee, a large Vatican garage for the 2000 Jubilee, and the construction of Via della Conciliazione for the 1950 Jubilee.
Future Agenda and Holy Year Traditions
Following the Jubilee's conclusion, Pope Leo XIV has convened the world's cardinals at the Vatican for a two-day meeting starting Wednesday. The discussions are scheduled to focus on the governance of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church, including the issue of liturgy, specifically concerning the celebration of the old Latin Mass.
A Holy Year is a centuries-old Catholic tradition where faithful pilgrims typically travel to Rome every 25 years. They visit the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul and seek indulgences for the forgiveness of sins by passing through a Holy Door.
Pope Leo XIV has announced the next Jubilee will occur in 2033, intended to commemorate the A.D. 33 death and resurrection of Christ, as believed by Christians.