ROME (Realist English). Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics filled the streets and piazzas of Rome this weekend for the Youth Jubilee, the signature youth event of the Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year. The celebration culminated with an open-air Saturday night vigil and an early Sunday Mass led by Pope Leo XIV at Tor Vergata, a sprawling field on the city’s eastern outskirts.
Italian media estimate that more than one million pilgrims have arrived in the capital, hailing from 146 countries, with 68% coming from Europe. Among them are young believers from war-torn regions, including Lebanon, Iraq, Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria, and South Sudan.
“It’s something deeply spiritual — something that only happens once every 25 years,” said Francisco Michel, a pilgrim from Mexico. “Being here with the Pope is a moment of personal growth.”
Despite scorching 30°C temperatures, logistical delays, and packed accommodations, spirits remained high. “It’s a bit chaotic, but that’s what makes the Jubilee beautiful,” said Chloe Jobbour, a 19-year-old Catholic from Lebanon. “I expected it to be this way — joyful and full of meaning.”
Participants gathered Saturday morning for prayers and music across Rome before heading to Tor Vergata, where they were sprayed with water cannons and misting trucks to beat the heat. Many spent the night on the field in sleeping bags, awaiting Sunday’s Mass.
The weekend events mark Pope Leo XIV’s first major engagement with the next generation of Catholics, following Tuesday’s opening Mass in St. Peter’s Square. But the celebrations were also marked by sadness: an 18-year-old Egyptian pilgrim died of cardiac arrest during the journey. The Pope met with her group and expressed condolences to her family.
Rome has transformed to host the massive influx. Over 1,000 priests heard confessions at the Circus Maximus, in 12 languages. Temporary infrastructure includes 25,000 hostel beds at the Fiera di Roma, thousands of toilets, upgraded transport networks, free water distribution at over 2,600 fountains, and a digital app for navigating the city’s hydration points.
More than 1,000 parishes, schools and host families are offering lodging and meals. Local authorities have implemented tight security controls, with checkpoints and restrictions on baggage to ensure safety throughout the Jubilee.
The Youth Jubilee is one of the key milestones of the Vatican’s Holy Year — celebrated every 25 years — and has drawn young Catholics into a living encounter with faith, community and the Pope himself.
