(ANS – Rome) – The Jubilee of Youth has transformed the face of Rome. The usual summer crowds of older tourists from America, Japan, and Germany have made way for a peaceful “army” of hundreds of thousands of young people from every corner of the globe. With colorful outfits, radiant smiles, and vibrant energy, they’ve arrived to celebrate the Holy Year dedicated to them—together with Pope Leo XIV.
On Monday, July 28 alone, an estimated 500,000 young pilgrims from 146 countries flooded into the city. Rome’s subways, buses, streets, and cafés are filled with the sounds of their laughter, chants, and drums, with flags, T-shirts, hats, and bandanas showing their group affiliations.
Journey to the Holy Door
Even the typically aloof Eternal City couldn’t resist their joyful presence. Rome opened its arms to welcome them.
Naturally, St. Peter’s Square has become the focal point where this cheerful, colorful crowd gathers. From Piazza Pia at the start of Via della Conciliazione, groups move steadily toward the Holy Door. Volunteers handing out small wooden crosses to registered pilgrims can barely keep up with the continuous flow.
Marta, from Irpin, Ukraine
The weather has thankfully been milder, but even the heat wouldn’t have deterred these determined pilgrims. Among them is Marta, wrapped in the Ukrainian flag, arriving with friends from Donetsk, Kyiv, and Irpin—regions deeply affected by war. Their group, accompanied by a nun, was selected through a national parish initiative that offered tickets to attend the Jubilee.
For these young women, being in Rome is a powerful sign of hope and living faith—not only for themselves but for their war-torn nation.
“Being here allows us, as a country, to feel the support of Christians from other nations,” says Marta, from Irpin, a city symbolic of the destruction caused by the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.
“We can share our life stories, our strength to love, to pray, to fight for what we believe in. We hope to meet people who welcome us, who share the light they carry through Christ—the same light we try to carry. We truly need it.”
She adds, “Pope Leo XIV’s consistent attention to Ukraine is so important—not just for believers. When we see messages of support from the Pope or people in other countries on social media or in the news, it gives us strength. It strengthens our faith. Life in Kyiv means spending every night in bomb shelters. It’s hard to live and work like that. This kind of support is a real source of strength and hope that helps us resist daily despair.”
Giorgio, from Lebanon
Giorgio, who comes from Lebanon—a country still impacted by the conflict that erupted across the Middle East on October 7, 2023—traveled to Rome with a group of 45 people seeking comfort in the universal Church.
“This is my first time in Rome, and I came to be closer to God. It’s beautiful to see people from all over the world gathered here for Christ. We must all pray for peace—not only in Lebanon but in the whole world. That’s why we’re here.”
“We hope the Pope can visit our country soon, and we hope to welcome him to a Middle East that has finally found peace.”
“Many Cultures, One Path”
This sense of being embraced by something bigger is also what Michele, 27, from Novara (Piedmont), feels. He’s in Rome with 26 young people from his parish, accompanied by a seminarian.
“We’re living a week of encounter. We want to breathe the air of the Church. We come from a tiny village, and for us, it’s vital to realize we are part of a worldwide family—united under the same Cross. We’re surrounded by people from different nations, yet we all share the same experiences.”
Orazio, 21, from a parish in Biella, also in Piedmont, echoes this feeling. Speaking with clarity and conviction, he explains what young people are hoping for during these days:
“We want to hear about ecology, the environment, hope, peace, and resolving the conflicts not only in the Middle East but around the world. We want a Church that takes a stand and fights for peace.
Because, as Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati—who, like us, was from Piedmont—once said: ‘We don’t want to just get by. We want to live.’”
For more news on 2025 Youth Jubilee visit INFOANS.com