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Pope Leo XIV The Catholic Church closed the Holy Year on Tuesday by calling on Christians around the world to help those in need and treat strangers with kindness.
Leo, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of caring for immigrants during his pontificate so far, told a Vatican ceremony that the record 33.5 million pilgrims who visited Rome during the Holy Year should have learned not to treat people as mere “commodities.”
“All around us is a distorted economy trying to take advantage of everything,” Leo said. “After this year, will we be better able to recognize a pilgrim in the visitor, a seeker in the stranger, a neighbor in the stranger?”
Pope Leo XIV closed the Catholic Church’s Holy Year by urging Christians around the world to help those in need and treat strangers with kindness. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Holy yearsor jubilees, are usually held every 25 years, considered a time of peace, forgiveness and grace. Pilgrims to Rome can enter the special “Holy Doors” of four of Rome’s basilicas and attend papal audiences throughout the year.
Leo closed the special bronze door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday morning, officially marking the end of the Holy Year.
The next Holy Year is not expected until 2033, when the Catholic Church could hold a special one to mark 2,000 years since the death of Jesus.
Pope Leo XIV said pilgrims who visited Rome during the Holy Year should have learned not to treat people as mere “commodities.” (Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images))
On Monday, Vatican and Italian officials said pilgrims to Rome for the 2025 jubilee came from 185 countries, including a majority from Italy, the United States, Spain, Brazil and Poland.
Jubilee 2025 was opened by fire Pope Francisdied in April, and closed by Leo, elected in May, making him the first American pope.
It was a historical rarity that had not been seen for 300 years for it to be opened by one pope and closed by another. The last jubilee celebrated under two different popes took place in 1700, when Innocent XII opened the Holy Year, which was then closed by Clement XI.
Pope Leo XIV closed the special bronze door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday morning, officially marking the end of the Holy Year. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)
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Leo, who has promised to maintain Francis’ policies such as welcoming gay Catholics and discussing the ordination of women, echoed his predecessor’s frequent criticism of the global economic system during his speech Tuesday.
Markets “transform human desires to search, travel and start again into a simple business,” Leo said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
