Pope Francis led the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas, presiding over a solemn mass in St. Peter's Basilica and opening the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, which is expected to attract millions of pilgrims to Rome. In his Christmas Eve sermon, the pontiff emphasized hope as a call to action, urging people to address injustices and strive for change. The Holy Year, a time of peace, forgiveness, and pardon, runs through January 6, 2026.
Pope Francis said the story of Jesus’ birth as a poor carpenter’s son should instill hope that all people can make an impact on the world, as the pontiff on Tuesday led the world’s Roman Catholics into Christmas .
In a sermon focused on the virtue of hope, which is also the theme of the Holy Year, the pontiff said hope “is a summons not to tarry, to be kept back by our old habits, or to wallow in mediocrity or laziness". A Catholic Holy Year, also known as a Jubilee, is considered a time of peace, forgiveness and pardon. They normally occur every 25 years. Pilgrims coming to Rome during the year can obtain special indulgences, or remission of their sins. This Jubilee will run through Jan. 6, 2026.
At the papal Mass for an estimated 6,000 people in St. Peter’s Basilica and 25,000 more watching on screens in the square outside, the pope also repeated an earlier call for developed nations to use the Jubilee to reduce the debt burden faced by low-income countries.
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