Pope Francis kicks off Holy Year with Christmas Eve mass at the Vatican

Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the Pontiff’s stamina. Francis, 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. “Hope calls us to become pilgrims in search of truth, dreamers who never tire,” Francis said as he extolled spiritual renewal. A Catholic Holy Year, also known as a Jubilee is considered a time of peace, forgiveness and pardon and normally occurs every 25 years. Pilgrims coming to Rome during the year can obtain special indulgences, or remission of their sins. The Jubilee will run through Jan. 6, 2026. The Jubilee will run through Jan. 6, 2026. For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB #GlobalNews #popefrancis #christmaseve #jubilee #vatican