A Church on Pilgrimage: Living the Jubilee of Hope in 2025
By Fr. Casmir Odundo
1. Anticipating the Ordinary Jubilee
The year 2025 had been long awaited in the life of the Church, for it was marked as an Ordinary Jubilee Year. Indeed, when Pope John Paul II closed the Holy Door of the Great Jubilee in January 2001, he pointed ahead to the next Ordinary Jubilee to be celebrated in 2025.
Even before that moment arrived, an important preparatory step had already been taken. Following the election of Pope Francis on 13 March 2013, the Church entered a period marked strongly by themes of mercy and hope. In 2015, Pope Francis announced an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which ran from 8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016. Significantly, it began on the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of the Vatican II Council (8 December 1965), recalling that at the end of the Council Pope Paul VI had also called for an extraordinary Jubilee in 1966.
2. Mercy as a Path towards Hope
As Pope Francis later explained in his letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella dated 11 February 2022, and again in the Bull of Indiction Spes non confundit issued on 9 May 2024, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy was also intended as a spiritual and pastoral preparation for the Jubilee of 2025.
The Church prepared for the Jubilee of 2025 over three years. The year 2023 was dedicated to a renewed return to the documents of the Vatican II Council, while 2024 was proclaimed a Year of Prayer, formally announced by Pope Francis on 21 January 2024. Pope Francis chose the theme of the Jubilee of 2025 as a Jubilee of Hope, under the official motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” just as he had chosen Mercy as the theme of the Jubilee of 2016.
3. Hope in the Magisterium of Pope Francis
Those familiar with the magisterium and pontificate of Pope Francis, as well as with his years as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, will recognise that mercy and hope were not abstract themes imposed upon him but deeply personal dimensions of his pastoral vision. He frequently spoke of the anchor as a symbol of hope and expressed his desire that people might rediscover in the Church a true source of hope.
This choice of theme was particularly fitting in light of the many challenges of recent years: the rise in suicide cases, the wounds left by the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing political instability and wars across the world. Hope was not simply a theological slogan; it was a pressing human need.
4. The Opening of the Holy Year
The Jubilee officially began on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2024, when Pope Francis, in a wheelchair, opened the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican shortly before presiding at the Christmas Night Mass. Two days later, on 26 December 2024, he opened a Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison in Rome, an unprecedented gesture that made this the only Holy Door outside the four papal basilicas. On that occasion, Pope Francis spoke of spalancare le porte—“throwing the doors wide open”—as a sign of mercy and hope that does not disappoint even for those often forgotten.
The other Holy Doors were opened according to the traditional calendar: at St John Lateran on 29 December 2024, at St Mary Major on 1 January 2025 and at St Paul Outside the Walls on 5 January 2025. The Dicastery for Evangelisation clarified that only these five Holy Doors were to be opened during the Jubilee. Nevertheless, some dioceses chose to symbolically open doors in the designate pilgrimage churches as a visible sign of hope and renewal at the start of the Holy Year.
5. Pilgrimage and the Universal Church
The opening of the Jubilee in Rome was followed by pilgrimages from all over the world. I recall that our Kenyan group (made up of Kenyans who study, work and live in Rome), which organised a pilgrimage to St Peter’s Basilica with over 200 pilgrims, was among the very first large organised groups to pass through the Holy Door (according to the Vatican officials concerned with the pilgrimage at St Peter’s) in early January 2025. Our pilgrimage was led by His Grace Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kisumu. In the months that followed, millions of pilgrims from every continent made the same journey, among them thousands of Kenyans who came to Rome at different moments during the year.
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| Metropolitan Archbishop of Kisumu, Most Rev. Maurice Muhatia Makumba with Kenyans living in Rome during the Jubilee Pilgrimage at St. Peter's Basilica-Vatican |
The Jubilee Year was also accompanied by major infrastructural developments in the city of Rome, aimed both at welcoming pilgrims and leaving a lasting legacy. Among the most visible projects was the completion of Piazza Pia, inaugurated on 23 December 2024, which significantly improved pedestrian access between Castel Sant’Angelo and St Peter’s Basilica. Another important achievement was the completion of the connection between Metro Line C and Line B at the Colosseum, officially opened on 16 December 2025.
6. The Jubilee in Local Churches: The Kenyan Experience
Kenya celebrated the Jubilee of 2025 in a particularly vibrant manner through the designation of numerous pilgrimage churches across dioceses, allowing the faithful to participate locally in the spiritual fruits of the Holy Year.
In the Archdiocese of Nairobi, pilgrimage sites included Holy Family Minor Basilica, St Patrick’s Church in Thika, Divine Word Parish in Kayole, SS. Peter and Paul in Kiambu, Resurrection Garden, Uganda Martyrs in Gatundu, St Francis of Assisi in Limuru and the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians (Don Bosco) in Upper Hill.
The Archdiocese of Kisumu designated St Joseph Mlimani Pilgrimage Church, St Joseph’s Parish Nyabondo, St Aloysius Gonzaga Ojolla, St Boniface Aluor, St Anne’s Sega Parish, St Peter Claver Parish Yala, Holy Trinity Rangala and St Peter Claver Parish Lwak.
The Archdiocese of Mombasa welcomed pilgrims at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Our Lady of Good Hope Shrine in Bura, St Joseph’s Catholic Church Ukunda and St Michael’s Giriama.
The Archdiocese of Nyeri named Our Lady of Consolata Cathedral Nyeri, St Martin de Porres Othaya, Divine Providence Mukurueini, Mary Immaculate Karatina, St Padre Pio Tetu, SS. Peter and Paul Mugunda, Charles Lwanga Narumoru and St Teresa of the Child Jesus Nanyuki.
Within the Diocese of Bungoma, pilgrimage churches included Christ the King Cathedral Bungoma, St Mary’s Kibabi, Misihu Parish, Nangina Parish, Rose of Lima Amukura Parish, Kisoko Parish and Butula Parish.
The Diocese of Homabay designated Holy Trinity Cathedral, St Paul’s Town Parish Homabay and Asumbi Catholic Church.
In the Diocese of Kitui, the pilgrimage sites were Our Lady of Africa Cathedral Boma, Our Lady of Protection Shrine Museve, Good Shepherd Parish Mwingi and Holy Family Parish Mutomo.
The Diocese of Malindi named St Anthony of Padua Cathedral Parish, Christ the Sower Parish Mpeketoni, St Francis Xavier Portuguese Chapel and St Joseph the Worker Parish Wema.
Further north, the Diocese of Maralal designated SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Maralal, St Aloysius Gonzaga Wamba Parish, St Francis Xavier Baragoi Parish, Our Lady Consolata Shrine Sirata-Maralal and Sacred Heart Church Sereolipi.
The Diocese of Murang’a named Sacred Heart Cathedral Murang’a and Consolata Shrine Tuthu.
The Diocese of Nakuru designated Christ the King Cathedral Nakuru, the National Marian Shrine Subukia and St Thérèse of the Child Jesus Parish Marigat.
The Diocese of Ng’ong named St Joseph’s Cathedral Ng’ong.
Finally, the Military Ordinariate of Kenya included St Peter and Paul Cathedral at Defence Headquarters Nairobi, Our Lady Star of the Sea for the Kenya Navy, St Ignatius of Loyola at Laikipia Air Base and St Michael Church at 5KR Gilgil.
Together, these pilgrimage churches enabled the faithful across Kenya to encounter the Jubilee locally through prayer, confession and renewed communion with the universal Church.
7. Jubilee Events and Pastoral Initiatives
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Bishop Rotich of Kericho during the Jubilee of Sports
Beyond pilgrimage, dioceses organised Jubilee events for specific groups. One of the most notable was the Jubilee of Sports, organised by the Diocese of Kericho on 14–15 June 2025, which brought together the bishop, clergy, religious and students in a spirit of fellowship and evangelisation. The Archdiocese of Nyeri organised a special Jubilee of priests together with the parents of priests, a deeply moving moment of thanksgiving for vocations and family support.
8. Sacred Music and the Language of Hope
Another memorable highlight of the Jubilee celebrations in East Africa was the role played by sacred music, which helped translate the theme of hope into prayer and popular devotion. In East Africa, the song Tegemeo Letu was like a quasi-jubilee anthem. The song was composed and sung by the St Cecilia Choir Makuburi in Dar es Salaam and quickly spread across dioceses as a unifying expression of the Jubilee of Hope. Alongside it, the song Mkatoliki also marked the Jubilee year in a special way, resonating deeply with Catholic identity and mission in the region. These songs were sung during diocesan celebrations, pilgrimages and youth gatherings, becoming a shared musical memory of the Jubilee across East Africa.
9. Jubilee Greetings and Ecclesial Language
A further pastoral expression of the Jubilee was found in the official Jubilee greetings adopted by various dioceses, which translated the universal theme of hope into local ecclesial language. In the Archdiocese of Nairobi, the Pastoral Department formulated the Jubilee greeting “Pilgrims of Hope, together in Prayer,” which spread to many other dioceses. The Archdiocese of Nyeri and the Diocese of Murang’a chose to root their Jubilee greeting explicitly in the Pauline affirmation from Romans 5:5: “Hope does not disappoint...because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” In the Diocese of Nakuru, the Jubilee greeting took a more explicitly Christological form: “Christ, Our Hope – Kristo, Tumaini Letu.”
10. The Final Witness of Pope Francis
No account of the Jubilee would be complete without recalling one of its most poignant moments: the illness and hospitalisation of Pope Francis during the Holy Year. Despite his frailty, he made every effort to remain spiritually close to the pilgrims. His final Urbi et Orbi blessing was given on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2025. He died the following day, Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at 7:35 a.m. at Casa Santa Marta. The days that followed were marked by mourning, the novemdiales and the funeral of the Pope. In keeping with his personal wish, Pope Francis was buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major, a choice that underscored his Marian devotion and pastoral simplicity. The steady stream of pilgrims who later visited his tomb during the Jubilee year testified to the deep affection in which he was held.
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| Pope Francis final Urbi et Orbi Blessing Easter Sunday 2025 |
11. The Jubilee under Pope Leo XIV
The Jubilee continued under new leadership following the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV on 8 May 2025, making him the first American Pope. Since his election, Pope Leo XIV has overseen the continuation of Jubilee celebrations and undertaken important apostolic journeys, including a pilgrimage to İznik (ancient Nicaea) to mark the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, as well as visits to Lebanon and Turkey.
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| Leo XIV after Habemus Papam 8 May 2025 |
12. Canonisation, Youth and the Future of Hope
The Jubilee also included moments of particular ecclesial significance, such as the canonisation Mass on 7 September 2025, during which Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati were proclaimed saints. This celebration drew vast numbers of pilgrims to Rome, especially young people, and reinforced the message that holiness is possible in every generation.
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| Pope Leo XIV peers through the helicopter window on his way to the Jubilee of Youth at Tor Vergata. |
At the heart of the Jubilee of 2025 was the Jubilee of Youth, which took place at Tor Vergata in Rome, the historic site of World Youth Day in 2000. This event emerged as the central and most emblematic gathering of the Holy Year, drawing over one million young pilgrims from across the world. The vast grounds were filled with prayer, catechesis and celebration, giving tangible expression to the Jubilee theme Pilgrims of Hope. Participation from Africa was particularly strong, with Tanzania alone sending over 500 young people to Rome for this event.
13. The Spiritual Fruits of the Holy Year
Beyond the visible events and large gatherings, however, the deepest significance of the Jubilee of 2025 lay in its spiritual fruits. Across Rome and in local Churches, countless faithful returned to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, often after many years. The Jubilee indulgence was offered in a particularly generous and accessible form, allowing the faithful—through confession, Holy Communion, prayer for the intentions of the Pope and acts of charity—to experience in a concrete way the Church’s maternal mercy. These fruits are largely hidden and interior, known fully only to God, and their true impact will be measured over time in renewed lives, reconciled relationships and deepened faith.
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| Confession Camp at the Circo Massimo-Rome during the Jubilee of Youth |
What is already evident, however, is that the Church emerged from the Jubilee Year invigorated, evangelised and renewed, with a youthful energy that continues to shape her pastoral outlook. Looking ahead, the Church now turns her gaze towards future Jubilees: the Ordinary Jubilee of 2050 and, before that, the Extraordinary Jubilee of 2033, marking two thousand years of the Redemption. Pope Pius XI had already spoken of a Jubilee of the Redemption in 2033 when he commemorated the nineteenth centenary of Redemption in 1933, and Pope John Paul II anticipated this vision by celebrating the 1950th anniversary of Redemption in 1983.
While the Jubilee concluded in dioceses on the Feast of the Holy Family, 28 December 2025, it will formally close in Rome on 6 January 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany. As the Holy Year draws to a close, dioceses are already charting new pastoral directions. The Diocese of Nakuru has identified 2026 as a year to deepen collaborative ministry in the spirit of the Synod on Synodality. The Diocese of Murang’a has proclaimed a Marian Year, while the Diocese of Eldoret has declared 2026 a Year of the Eucharist.
Attention is also turning to the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, with an extraordinary consistory of cardinals scheduled for 7 January 2026, marking a decisive early moment in his Petrine ministry.
14. Conclusion: Hope That Does Not Disappoint
In the end, we give thanks to God for 2025—the Jubilee Year that renewed hope in the Church and reminded the world that hope, when anchored in faith, truly does not disappoint.
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