SPECIAL ISSUE – June 25th, 2025 

N.12 – ASCOLTA LARTE E METTILA DA PARTE

N.28 – LE ULTIME DALLO STIVALE 

What do hope, forgiveness and the road to Rome have in common? Every 25 years, the Eternal City prepares to welcome millions of pilgrims from all over the world to experience a unique event that combines forgiveness, pilgrimage and inner renewal: the Jubilee. But what exactly is this ancient rite? Where did it originate and what does it mean for the faithful and the city? As the 2025 Jubilee is currently underway, it is worth rediscovering the historical and spiritual roots of this centuries-old tradition.

Origins: from the Bible to the papacy

The term “Jubilee” has Hebrew origins: it derives from the Hebrew yobel, which indicated the ram’s horn used to announce the beginning of a special year, celebrated every 50 years, during which the land was allowed to rest to ensure its fertility in the following years, confiscated goods were returned, slaves were freed and debts were forgiven. It was thus a time of social and spiritual reconciliation.
There are historical records that mention precursor events to the Jubilee, such as the “Indulgence of the Hundred Years” and the “Perdonanza Celestiniana”, still celebrated in L’Aquila, in which remission of guilt was promised following a pilgrimage; but the first real official Jubilee was called by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300. This was an event of extraordinary magnitude: pilgrims who went to Rome to visit the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul were granted plenary indulgence, that is, the forgiveness of all sins. The initiative was a huge success and Rome became a mass destination, with crowds of faithful attracted by the possibility of redemption.
Initially the Jubilee was scheduled every 100 years, but the frequency was later reduced to every 50 years by Pope Clement VI in 1350, and finally established at every 25 years by Pope Paul II in 1470, to allow each generation to experience at least one.
The Jubilee is commonly called a “Holy Year” not only because it is marked by a series of sacred rites, but also because it promotes holiness of life. It can be ordinary (if it falls according to the established cadence) or extraordinary (if it is called as a result of exceptional events).

A Holy Year for the Church and the World

The Jubilee is today an exceptional time of grace and spiritual renewal for Catholic believers. At its core is the plenary indulgence, which is obtained by following certain symbolic gestures: going through the Holy Door, going to confession, receiving the Eucharist, praying according to the Pope’s intentions, and performing an act of charity or penance.
But the Jubilee is not only a religious event. It also has a strong social and political significance. In past centuries it has prompted popes to promote peace among Christian kingdoms, free slaves, condone punishments, and, more recently, to make appeals against poverty and for global justice. The 2000 Jubilee, for example, desired by John Paul II, was accompanied by a strong ecumenical and interreligious push and calls for debt forgiveness to poor countries.

The Holy Door and the opening rite

One of the most symbolic moments of the Jubilee is the opening of the Holy Door at Rome’s four major basilicas: St. Peter’s in the Vatican, St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Mary Major. The Holy Door is normally walled up and is opened only during the Holy Years. The opening symbolizes the beginning of an extraordinary spiritual journey, a passage to salvation and reconciliation.
The rite of the opening of St. Peter’s Holy Door was celebrated by the Pope on Christmas Eve 2024, marking the beginning of the Holy Year, while the closing will take place on January 6, 2026. The last ordinary Jubilee, in 2000, saw the participation of more than 25 million faithful. The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015-2016, called by Pope Francis, was spread to all dioceses around the world, with local “Holy Doors” also opening.

A universal event with Roman roots

The Jubilee remains deeply rooted in the city of Rome, which for centuries has been transformed to welcome crowds of pilgrims. But it is also a global event, involving dioceses, parishes and faithful around the world. At a time marked by wars, climate crises and inequality, the Jubilee is proposed as a time of hope and reconciliation.
In 2025, the motto chosen by Pope Francis is Pilgrims of Hope. An invitation, more relevant than ever, to look to the future with confidence, rediscovering the power of forgiveness, shared journey and faith that unites.

The Jubilee Route: a journey of body and spirit

During the Jubilee, the faithful are invited to make a pilgrimage to the Roman basilicas as well as to shrines and places of faith in their cities. In Rome, the so-called “Jubilee Route” connects the major basilicas through walking itineraries that combine art, spirituality and reflection.
The Vatican has already put in place urban redevelopment projects in preparation for Jubilee 2025, including new pedestrian routes, services for pilgrims and cultural initiatives aimed at welcoming faithful and tourists in a spirit of inclusiveness and sustainability.

The Seven Churches and the Meaning of Pilgrimage in Rome

The most traditional Jubilee route is still today the one laid out in the 16th century by Saint Philip Neri. It stretches for about 25 km through the city and Roman countryside, touching seven basilicas: Saint Peter’s, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, San Giovanni in Laterano, San Paolo Fuori le Mura, and San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura. More than just an itinerary, it is a devotional and transformative journey, marked by precious relics and works of art ranging from the early centuries of Christianity to the Baroque era.

Who Was Saint Philip Neri?

A Florentine priest and saint, Saint Philip is a beloved figure in Rome, where many places still bear his name. Affectionately called Pippo Bbono, he arrived in Rome as a penitent pilgrim without a precise destination. It was here that he found his vocation, eventually receiving holy orders and founding the Congregation of the Oratory, an institution that promoted the spiritual, cultural, and social growth of the city. His apostolate, aimed especially at laypeople, youth, and the poor, played a fundamental role in strengthening faith during the Counter-Reformation. His proposal of faith involved a direct engagement of the senses and emotions: Philip favored secluded places for prayer, such as catacombs, isolated churches, and churchyards at night. It was in these settings that the idea of spiritual dialogue and personal encounter was born, becoming the heart of his Oratory.

The Meaning of the Churches Chosen by Philip 

The basilicas along the route were not chosen at random: each one represents a meaningful stage in the history of the Church and in the pilgrim’s journey. The journey begins symbolically at Saint Peter’s, the center of Christianity, but above all, the place of martyrdom and burial of the apostle Peter, the first Pope. He is paired with Saint Paul, patron of the city alongside Peter, whose body rests in the basilica that bears his name. While Peter embodies faithfulness and daily closeness to Jesus, despite his human fragility, Paul represents the convert—the persecutor who became a messenger of the Gospel without ever knowing Christ in life. Two opposite but complementary spiritual paths. According to tradition, the heads of these two important Christian saints are preserved in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Rome’s cathedral and part of the Jubilee route, under a majestic 1370 baldachin.
Two important stops are dedicated to fundamental female figures in Christian history: Mary, Jesus’ mother, and Saint Helena. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the oldest Marian shrine in Rome, houses the relic of Jesus’ crib—a direct reference to the Incarnation and the mystery of Advent. The Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, on the other hand, is tied to Christ’s Passion and to Saint Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine and the first great pilgrim. In 326 Helena traveled to Jerusalem to recover the relics of the Cross. She brought back to Rome what she found, along with the soil from Calvary, which was placed under the basilica’s foundations, transforming it into a great reliquary of the Passion.
The route ends with the basilicas of San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura and San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura, which commemorate two martyrs of the 3rd century. Saint Lawrence, a deacon under Pope Sixtus II, and Saint Sebastian, a soldier and imperial guard under Diocletian, are examples of Christian courage and charity—models of holiness that can still inspire today. Both faced death for their faith, bearing witness to a life marked by love for God and neighbor.

The Special Devotion to San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura 

This basilica stands atop a vast catacomb complex, a site of memory for numerous martyrs including Saint Sebastian himself. Philip Neri deeply loved this place and often came here to pray. During the Pentecost vigil of 1544, he had a mystical experience here: while praying before a wooden crucifix—now preserved in the former 18th-century sacristy—he was struck by a mystical vision. A globe of fire entered his chest, breaking two ribs to make space for a heart that, according to the doctors of the time, became exceptionally large. A tangible sign of his immense love for God and for humanity. Today, the basilica also houses two extraordinary relics: the imprint of Christ’s feet, from the nearby little church of Domine Quo Vadis, tied to the legend of the encounter between Jesus and Peter on the Appian Way, and the bust of the Salvator Mundi, the last sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, created in 1679 at the request of his friend Queen Christina of Sweden. Recent studies have revealed that Bernini was inspired by the Shroud of Turin, offering a surprising three-dimensional interpretation of the face of Christ.

An ancient path, still relevant

The Jubilee, today as yesterday, continues to be an invitation to set out. Through history, art and faith, every step on the streets of Rome becomes a step toward an encounter with oneself and the divine.
To participate in the Jubilee is not only to have a deep spiritual experience, but also to immerse oneself in the artistic and cultural beauty that has spanned the centuries. The churches, symbols, paintings and sculptures tell a story of faith embodied in art, and allow pilgrims to explore Rome with new eyes, discovering a universal heritage that continues to speak to the hearts of those seeking spirituality, inner harmony, peace and beauty.

Opere: Antoniazzo Romano, Storie della Vera Croce, 1492, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, Roma; Gianlorenzo Bernini, Salvator Mundi, 1679, San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura, Roma; Guercino, San Filippo Neri in Estasi, 1662, Santa Maria di Galliera, Bologna; Pellegrini giungono a Roma, XIV secolo, dal manoscritto “Cronache” di Giovanni Sercambi, Archivio di Stato, Lucca.

Musiche nel podcast: Charles Chaitman

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