An LGBT pilgrimage listed in the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee calendar has drawn attention online, with Church officials offering explanations regarding its inclusion.
The pilgrimage, organized by the Italian association La Tenda di Gionata (Jonathan’s Tent), is set for September 6, 2025, and focuses on welcoming LGBT individuals, their families and pastoral workers to Rome.
The event will include passing through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, a plenary indulgence practice during Jubilee years and culminates with a Mass celebrated at the Jesuit Church of the Gesù. Bishop Francesco Savino, vice president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, will preside over the liturgy. The pilgrimage also includes a prayer vigil the evening before.
A Vatican spokesperson clarified that the event’s inclusion in the Jubilee calendar does not signify official endorsement or sponsorship by the Holy See. “They are not sponsored activities,” said Agnese Palmucci, spokesperson for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, as reported by Reuters. The spokesperson emphasized that any group organizing a pilgrimage could request to be listed in the general calendar.
The Dicastery for Evangelization oversees the Jubilee’s major events but notes that third-party events like this pilgrimage remain the responsibility of the proposing organizations. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who leads Jubilee preparations, said, “Everyone is welcome,” as quoted in Il Messaggero.
The pilgrimage has drawn support from prominent Church figures, including Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Fr. Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Meanwhile, others have criticized the event, questioning its alignment with Church teachings.
An estimated 32 million visitors are expected in Rome during the Holy Year, with hundreds of similar events planned worldwide.
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