Pope Opens Holy Door with Message of Hope and Renewal

It also marks the start of a special Jubilee, which will run until January 6, 2026, and serves as a call for spiritual renewal amid the pressing global challenges of hunger, poverty, and war.

Pope celebrating his 12th Christmas of his pontificate, presided at a solemn Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, with a sermon focused on the virtue of hope. He urged believers not to let old habits or complacency hinder their paths, stating, “Hope is a summons not to tarry, to be kept back... or to wallow in mediocrity or laziness. "

In his homily, Francis said the Holy Year is an opportunity to relieve the debt of poor countries and commit to protecting the planet. The aim of the Jubilee, he said, is “to bring hope to the interminable, dreary days of prisoners, to the cold and dismal lodgings of the poor and to all those places desecrated by war and violence.”

The ceremony inaugurated the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee, in which the Catholic faithful make pilgrimages to Rome. The Vatican expects up to 100,000 pilgrims to walk through the Holy Doors daily, and over 32 million are expected in Rome throughout the year. The Holy Doors, only opened during Jubilee years, stand as a powerful reminder of the doorway to salvation.

Pope Francis also used the occasion to reiterate historical calls for debt relief, urging developed countries to alleviate the financial burdens low-income nations face. This appeal echoes the passionate pleas of the late Pope John Paul II, which led to a substantial campaign for debt cancellation that benefitted numerous impoverished nations.

The last regular Jubilee was in 2000, when St. John Paul II ushered in the church’s third millennium. The one before that, in 1975, was notable because Pope Paul VI was nearly hit by falling plaster when he opened the Holy Door.

As the Holy Year unfolds, Catholics around the globe are invited to embark on a journey of hope, healing, and spiritual renaissance inspired by Pope Francis's vision for a world united in peace and mercy.