In recent months, the city has been transformed into an open-air construction site working towards accommodating some 35 million expected visitors for the Jubilee.
With only a few weeks until the opening of the Holy Door on 24 December, which marks the beginning of the Holy Year 2025, pressure has been mounting on Rome’s municipal authorities to complete the relevant renovation projects in time.
At the moment, monuments are being restored, roads repaired and pedestrian areas redesigned to prepare for an estimated 35 million visitors.
Despite opposition parties claiming that the city has fallen behind on hundreds of projects, Rome’s Mayor Roberto Gualtieri remains confident. Speaking at a recent event to discuss the progress of the works, he insisted that the city would meet its deadline.
“We are moving forward according to plan. We are very confident about the outcome,” said Gualtieri. “Many projects will be completed ahead of schedule. And if we look at the history of the Jubilee, works were completed either during it or soon after.”
The city’s renovation plan is also expected to boost tourism. Money form the EU’s post-pandemic fund has been allocated to complete some of the construction. In some cases, projects were temporarily halted following the discovery of archeological sites.
A tangible message of hope and trust
This will be the second Jubilee led by Pope Francis, with the first having taken place in 2015. The core message of the Holy Year is to foster hope and trust.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who has been tasked with organisating the Jubilee, highlighted how Pope Francis has sought to turn this message into tangible actions. He has urged the clergy and religious leaders to address the housing crisis by opening vacant properties to the homeless.
“It’s not just about delivering a beautiful message of hope; the aim is to inspire people to feel more responsible,” said Archbishop Fisichella. “This means that the message of hope should lead to concrete actions, some of which may be more difficult, such as achieving peace or helping marginalised groups— the poor, the homeless, as well as younger people, the elderly and the sick. In other words, all those who need hope.”
The Jubilee will officially begin with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica. The doors of Rome’s major basilicas will also be open over the subsequent days, and will remain so until the end of the celebrations.
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