ROME — On Thursday, Pope Francis officially began the Holy Year at Rome’s primary prison, delivering a message of hope to inmates and incorporating them into the Catholic Church’s major jubilee celebration, which occurs every 25 years and is expected to draw around 32 million pilgrims to Rome.
The Pope, using a wheelchair, made a poignant gesture by knocking on the chapel door at Rebibbia prison. This act mirrored his earlier opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve.
This ceremonial opening at the basilica marked the initiation of the Jubilee year, a tradition rooted in history since 1300 that inspires the faithful to undertake pilgrimages to Rome.
“I opened the first Holy Door at Christmas in St. Peter’s. I wanted the second one to be here, in a prison,” Francis shared with the inmates before entering. “I wanted everyone here, both inside and outside, to have the chance to open the door of our hearts and recognize that hope is something that never fails.”
The 2025 Jubilee theme will revolve around hope, and Pope Francis emphasized the significant role of prisoners in this celebration. A special Mass for inmates is scheduled to close the Jubilee on December 14, 2025, at St. Peter’s. Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has placed considerable importance on prison ministry, visiting Rebibbia on numerous occasions and including prison visits in many of his international trips.
His message consistently focuses on hope, emphasizing the importance of providing inspiration for those serving time, particularly in Italy, where prison overcrowding and suicide rates among inmates are escalating. The Antigone Association, which monitors prison conditions in Italy, highlights this growing crisis.
In its 2024 report, Antigone noted that this year saw 88 prisoner suicides in Italian jails, marking a record high, and reported that the inmate population exceeded the prison system’s capacity by 132%.
In a statement, Antigone appealed to Italian authorities to heed Pope Francis’ call for fostering hope among prisoners. The organization urged for reforms that align with constitutional values, advocating for punishments that are humane and facilitate the social reintegration of inmates.
During his homily, Francis encouraged prisoners to envision hope as an anchor fixed to the ground, advocating that they grip the rope attached to this anchor tightly, even if it causes them discomfort.
“Hold onto the rope of hope, hold onto the anchor,” he emphasized. “Never let it go.”
In conversations with reporters later, Francis reflected on his visits with prisoners, acknowledging his thoughts on, “why them and not me.” He reiterated the shared human capacity for faltering and underscored the necessity of maintaining hope during challenging times.
While addressing the congregation at the Vatican for his noonday blessing, Francis referred to prison as a “cathedral of pain and hope” and reiterated his hopeful message. He also reaffirmed his wish for global peace and urged wealthier nations to consider forgiving the debts of poorer countries.
“One hallmark of Jubilees is the cancellation of debts,” he remarked, characterizing the financial burdens on many impoverished nations as “unsustainable.”
Pope Francis’ visit to Rebibbia on a chilly morning was his final major undertaking of the week, having already celebrated Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and delivered his Christmas Day blessing from the prominent loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
At 88 years old, the Pope, who tends to experience respiratory issues during winter, will have a few days of respite before preparing for the New Year’s Eve vigil and Mass schedule for the following day.
With the Holy Door at St. Peter’s now open, a continuous flow of pilgrims is expected to enter the basilica, a trend projected to persist throughout next year until the door closes on January 6, 2026.
The year 2025 promises a packed schedule of Jubilee events that will challenge the Pope’s endurance, featuring special Masses for various groups of pilgrims, including adolescents, migrants, educators, and law enforcement personnel, among others.
Currently, he has one foreign trip under consideration: a May visit to Turkey to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council of Christianity.
