Pope Francis made history on December 26, by opening the second Holy Door of the Jubilee Year at the Rebibbia Prison Complex in Rome, marking the first time a Holy Door has been opened in a prison during a Jubilee.
"I wanted the second Holy Door to be here, in a prison. I wanted each of us, whether we are inside or outside, to have the possibility to open the doors of the heart wide and understand that hope does not disappoint," said Pope Francis, according to a report by Il Giornale. Dressed in red vestments, he arrived at the prison assisted by his young secretary and accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop of Rome Benoni Ambarus, known as Don Ben, who is responsible for charity and a close collaborator of the Pope, according to La Croix.
The ceremony was attended by around 300 people, including approximately 100 inmates from the Rebibbia complex, with teary-eyed inmates in the front rows, as noted by El Universal of Venezuela. Among the dignitaries present were Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, Attorney General Alessandro Diddi, and Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, reported Il Secolo XIX.
During his impromptu homily, Pope Francis urged the inmates to hold onto hope despite hardships. "Never lose hope. Open your heart wide. Every day I pray for you, it's not just a way of saying. I wish you much peace," said Pope Francis, emphasizing that "hope doesn't disappoint," according to La Croix. "Do not lose hope. This is the message I wanted to give you. Do not lose hope," he told them, adding, "This is the message I want to give all of us, including myself: Don't lose hope," as reported by The Guardian.
Pope Francis walked, assisted by a cane, as reported by DW, Deutsche Welle. After arriving in a wheelchair, he stood to knock six times on the bronze Holy Door of the prison chapel, symbolizing a transition to grace and reconciliation, according to El Tiempo.
Rebibbia prison, built in 1946, is Italy's largest penal institution, housing over 62,000 inmates, with a critical overcrowding rate exceeding 132%, as reported by Deutsche Welle. In 2024, Italy recorded a record number of suicides in prisons, with 88 prisoners dying by suicide, reflecting a severe mental health crisis within the system. There have also been 2,035 attempts to take one's own life in Italian prisons, according to Il Riformista.
During the ceremony, male inmates gifted Pope Francis a miniature reproduction of the door of the Church of Our Father, while female inmates presented him with a basket containing handmade items, including oil, cookies, ceramics, and bibs, products of their work, as noted by La Croix.
On December 24, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, symbolizing hope and inviting the faithful to seek forgiveness and renewal, as reported by The Guardian. This act officially began the ordinary Jubilee of 2025. "The opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica serves as a sign of hope for all prisons in the world," the Pope stated, according to The Guardian.
The Jubilee Year 2025, dedicated to the theme of hope, aims to welcome approximately 32 million pilgrims to Rome, marking a celebration for the Catholic Church that occurs once every 25 years, reported Deutsche Welle.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq