Tens of Thousands to Gather in Rome for Jubilee of Families

Rome, May 29, 2025: More than 60,000 pilgrims from 120 countries are expected to gather in Rome from Friday, May 30, to Sunday, June 1, for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents, and the Elderly. The three-day event, organised by the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelisation, will feature a variety of cultural and educational events along with prayer services and a papal mass. Activities will take place across several key locations in Rome, including the Papal Basilicas and Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano.

Pilgrims from all continents, including large groups from Italy, Spain, the United States, Poland, and Portugal, are expected to participate. Pilgrims from countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines, and Germany will also be present. The event will also bring together dioceses, movements, and associations which promote the human and spiritual growth of families.

The first day of the Jubilee, Friday, May 30, will see pilgrimages to the Holy Doors of the Papal Basilicas between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. From 10:00 am, there will be “Dialogues with the City” – a series of cultural, artistic and spiritual events in the piazzas of the historic centre of Rome. These events will be organised by various associations and movements linked to family pastoral care, such as the Pontifical Committee for World Children's Day and the Emmanuel Community. All the details relating to the piazzas hosting events and activities can be found on the Jubilee website.

On Saturday, May 31, pilgrimages will continue as planned; however, access to the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica will be restricted from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. due to organisational needs at the Vatican. “Dialogues with the City” will resume at 9:30 a.m., continuing to offer a range of celebratory and educational activities. These events will be organised by various associations, including the Centro Oratori Romani (COR), Italian Catholic Action, the CHARIS Association (Catholic Charismatic Renewal), and the Community of Sant’Egidio.

Saturday’s events will culminate in the late afternoon in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, with the “Family Festival” and the Prayer Vigil, during which the Rosary will be recited to conclude the Marian month of May. The celebration, which will be packed with music and testimonies, will be hosted by Lorena Bianchetti, an Italian television presenter, and will see the participation of, among others, special guests such as the actor Giovanni Scifoni, the Christian music bands 'The Sun' and 'Gen Verde', and Alfio Russo, a very young saxophonist.

Later, various family associations, among them the Associazione Papa Giovanni XXIII, the Equipe Notre Dame, and Nonni 2.0, will tell their stories of commitment and share their experiences of working for the family.

At the entrances of Piazza San Giovanni, 10,000 copies of the new edition of the “Children’s Bible”, edited by the Pontifical Foundation ‘Aid to the Church in Need’, in five languages will be distributed to participants.

The Jubilee will conclude on Sunday, June 1, with a Eucharistic Celebration presided over by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square. The open-air Mass requires no tickets and is expected to draw thousands of families and children from across the globe.

Courtesy: Dicastery for Evangelisation