The Jubilee of Youth, a significant event in the Catholic Church’s holy year, commenced with thousands of young pilgrims converging in Rome. This week-long pilgrimage, culminating in an evening prayer vigil led by Pope Leo XIV, is anticipated to attract up to a million attendees. Young Catholics aged 18 to 35, hailing from across the globe, have flocked to the Vatican, exhibiting their faith through prayer, song, and the vibrant display of national flags. This gathering marks the first major youth event since Pope Leo’s papacy began three months ago, and the first of this scale since Pope John Paul II’s youth gathering 25 years prior. The atmosphere in Rome is electric with anticipation.
As Saturday dawned, the designated site for the vigil, a vast open space in Rome’s Tor Vergata neighborhood, began to fill with eager pilgrims. Blankets and mattresses dotted the landscape, evidence of the overnight stay many planned under the stars. Throughout the city, groups of young people prepared for the journey to the vigil site. Outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran, they replenished water supplies, applied sunscreen, and checked provisions, readying themselves for the immersive experience of spending 24 hours amidst the throng and then sleeping beneath the open sky. The excitement was palpable, particularly for those attending their first papal event.
Individual stories underscored the significance of the event. Victoria Perez, a 21-year-old Spanish pilgrim, expressed her eagerness to witness Pope Leo up close, highlighting the thrill of the upcoming night of prayer. Quentin Remaury, a 26-year-old from France, attributed his inspiration to attend to the late Pope Francis’s invigorating message to youth during a 2016 visit to Krakow. Pope Francis’s call to action, urging young people to “get off your couches,” resonated deeply with Remaury and many others. This Jubilee represents a direct response to that call, a tangible demonstration of engagement and faith.
Since the Jubilee’s commencement on Monday, participants engaged in various Church-organized activities across Rome. A notable event took place at Circus Maximus, a historical landmark, where approximately 1,000 priests offered the sacrament of confession. Two hundred white gazebos lined the ancient chariot racing track, facilitating private conversations between young people and priests in ten different languages. The diversity of languages spoken throughout Rome during the week reflected the global reach of the event, with Spanish appearing particularly prominent. The Vatican confirmed representation from over 146 countries, further emphasizing the international character of the Jubilee.
Beyond the spiritual focus, the Jubilee provided a platform for young Catholics to engage with contemporary concerns. With rising economic uncertainty and climate change anxiety prevalent among the under-30 demographic, many expressed a desire to understand the Church’s stance on these pressing issues. Samarei Semos, a 29-year-old who traveled for three days from Belize, articulated the desire to understand Pope Leo’s leadership, particularly his perspective on “third world countries.” Alice Berry, a student from Paris, succinctly captured the prevailing sentiment, questioning what message the Pope had for the youth of today.
The backdrop of global unrest, including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the ongoing war in Ukraine, added another layer of complexity to the Jubilee. The Vatican acknowledged the perseverance of young Catholics who journeyed from war-torn regions, echoing Pope Leo’s sentiment that their voices would be heard worldwide. In a novel gesture, Pope Leo held a mass specifically for Catholic social media influencers, signaling the Church’s embrace of digital platforms and its commitment to engaging with tech-savvy youth. The logistical scale of the event was also noteworthy, with over 4,300 volunteers and more than 1,000 police deployed to ensure the smooth running of the Jubilee and the safety of the attendees. Roman authorities implemented heightened security measures in response to the unprecedented influx of both tourists and pilgrims into the city.
