VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to ...

Pope Francis celebrated first vespers for the vigil of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, in St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday.

Amid security worries, millions of pilgrims are expected to descend on Rome for a Jubilee Year of major Catholic celebrations throughout 2025. Here are the highlights.

Pope Francis is bringing his Holy Year to Rome’s main prison. Francis traveled to Rebibbia prison on a frigid morning.

Pope Francis kicked off the Jubilee this week, marking the start of the Holy Year in Italy as 32 million pilgrims are expected to travel to Rome this year.

On the Vigil of the feast of St. Mary, Mother of God, Pope Francis said the hope of brotherly fraternity is not based on ideology, the economic system, or progress in technology, but the incarnate Son of God.

In his homily, Francis said the Holy Year is an opportunity to relieve the debt of poor countries and commit to protecting the planet.

The pope, who turned 88 Dec. 17, mostly uses a wheelchair and presides over rather than concelebrates most public liturgies. Still, this year he had the longest trip of his papacy and opened the Holy Year 2025 on Dec.

Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.

Pope Francis made a visit on Thursday to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy, opening a special "Holy Door" for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, in what the Vatican said was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff.

Opening the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, Pope Francis inaugurates a jubilee year expected to draw 32 million visitors to Rome.

Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them.