Planning a trip to Rome next year? You might want to reconsider.
Jubilee 2025 is one of the biggest Catholic events on the global calendar next year.
With Rome being a bucket-list destination for many Catholics, the Holy Year is set to bring even bigger crowds to both Italy’s capital and Vatican City.
Celebrated every 25 years, the jubilee is a tradition in the Catholic Church that sees Catholics give time and dedication to a year of spiritual journey and reconciliation. It’s also a time when pilgrimage and good work allow previous sins to be revoked.
Pope Francis has chosen the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, emphasising a focus on compassion, unity, and the spiritual journey.
The event is set to launch on December 24, this year, with the Pope leading the opening of the St Peter’s Basilica bronze Holy Door.
With this, Rome is bound to be a premier destination for Catholics in 2025, marked by religious ceremonies, cultural events, and community activities that celebrate faith and bring people together.
These religious events, along with the yearly influx of tourists travelling to Europe every summer are estimated to bring 32 million tourists to Rome.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri told Reuters that 3200 public construction works, with 322 Jubilee-centred projects, are under way to prepare the city for the grand event.
Since early this year, the Italian capital has been preparing for the occasion, with billions of euros being invested to transform Rome and make structural changes to the city’s tourist sites, transport hubs, parks, and streets.
This includes a major renovation at Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, which Gualtieri promises will be “one of the most beautiful squares in the world”.
The construction site for the 2025 Jubilee works in Piazza San Giovanni in Rome, Italy. Photo / Getty
According to Reuters, a state jubilee fund worth €1.3 billion ($2.3 billion), and about €3b post-pandemic European Union funds will be used for the projects.
The city council is also preparing to finance the completion of Rome’s third metro line, which will connect the St Peter’s and St John Lateran basilicas.
Gualtieri promises all of the construction projects will be worth doing, guaranteeing a better and safer city for visitors next year.
What can tourists expect at Jubilee 2025?
The jubilee year includes many traditions, but the main characteristics are relating to pilgrimage, reconciliation, liturgy, prayer, and a religious visit to the Holy Door.
Religious events around the city are expected to increase once the jubilee kicks off in December. Primarily, pilgrims from around the world will flock to Rome to pass through the Holy Doors of the city’s four major basilicas — St Peter’s, St John Lateran, St Paul Outside the Walls, and St Mary Major — a ritual believed to offer spiritual benefits.
The main basilicas and religious tourist spots in Rome will welcome a large number of people during the jubilee-centred events. Photo / Getty
Should you travel to Rome next year?
The jubilee is a sacred event for the Catholic Church, but casual visitors are also invited to participate in the holy festival occurring in the Eternal City.
If you’re keen to experience myriad grand events during the jubilee year, visiting Rome will be busy and most likely stressful, but also worthwhile.
For Catholics, the jubilee is a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual experience. However, it may not be the ideal time for casual tourists to visit Rome.
If your primary interests lie in exploring the city’s historical and cultural treasures, without the added pressure of large crowds and foot traffic, you might want to skip Rome off your European trip next year.
