ROME-- The Vatican opens its doors to the LGBTQ+ community during the 2025 Jubilee.

 Pope Francis has declared that Jubilee opens its doors to any members of the LGBTQ+ community who will make their pilgrimage to Rome for the event. The official calendar of the Holy Year has inserted a few days on the calendar dedicated to any members of the community as well as their friends and families.

 The dedication to the LGBTQ+ community was the idea of Father Piva, a Bolognese Jesuit. The Pope accepted the idea, with the approval of Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and the organizer of the Holy Year calendar, Rino Fisichella. Together, they decided which days during the Jubilee to celebrate the community. They also created other days for groups such as the elderly, politicians, Saints, and workers.

 On Friday, 5 of September at 8 pm, in the Church of Gesu', there will be a prayer vigil held. The following day, Saturday 6 of September at 3 pm, there will be a pilgrimage held starting at the Porta Santa a Pietro and ending at 7 pm at the Church of Gesu'. There, a celebration will be held by Monsignor Francesco Savino, Bishop of Cassano all’Jonio, and Vice President of the Cei. Father Arturo Sosa has encouraged the event to move forward and stated, “It seems like a good thing to me,” he also added that members of the LGBTQ+ community are, “human beings with a distinct identity.”

 Pope Francis has sought to show compassion towards LGBTQ+ Catholic communities but has often turned his head against same sex marriage. In December of 2023, he signed a document allowing Priests to bless same sex couples, if the Priest does not appear to validate the marriage. The Pope has also come under fire after expressing that gay men not be allowed to apply for priesthood and allegedly used a homophobic slur.

 The opening of the Vatican’s doors during the Jubilee towards the LGBTQ+ community acts as a potential further step forward in the church’s openness towards the community.  

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