The 2025 Jubilee, called the Jubilee of Hope, is a Holy Year declared by the Vatican. It began on Christmas Eve, 2024, and runs until the Epiphany of 2026. At the end of 2025, the Catholic Church is celebrating two key events within the Jubilee year: the Jubilee of the Poor on November 16, 2025, and the Jubilee of Prisoners on December 14, 2025. These events highlight Christian charity and offer moments of prayer and hope for marginalized groups, focusing on themes of solidarity and redemption. These events are part of the larger Jubilee 2025 Holy Year, which is themed "Pilgrims of Hope". The overall year is a time of spiritual renewal, reconciliation, and pilgrimage.
The Jubilee of the Poor will draw attention to the struggles of the poor and marginalized and encourage acts of charity and solidarity. It is a call to highlight the dignity and rights of the impoverished. While the Jubilee of Prisoners is a moment of prayer and hope for those who are in prison or have lost their freedom. It also serves as a reminder of redemption and the hope for a better future.
The Jubilee of the Poor is a special event to highlight the Church’s preferential option for the poor, a core teaching in Catholic social doctrine that emphasizes the Angelus toward people who are economically, socially, or spiritually marginalized. It is meant to remind the faithful that the poor are not merely recipients of charity but are central to the Gospel message in their suffering, in their voices, and in their wisdom. The Jubilee of the Poor encourages concrete acts of mercy, justice, service, and solidarity in everyday life and fosters awareness of contemporary forms of poverty. Not just material lack (food, shelter), but also deprivation of dignity, education, healthcare, religious freedom, etc.
The Jubilee of the Poor celebration spans the weekend of November 15-16, 2025. On Saturday, a Pilgrimage to the Holy Door and opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Jubilee churches will occur. On Sunday (which is the 9th World Day of the Poor), the Pope will preside over mass at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Basilica followed by lunch with the Pope in the Paul VI Hall, organized by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.
In his June message for the 9th World Day of the Poor, Pope Leo emphasized, “The poor are not a distraction for the Church, but our beloved brothers and sisters…God took on their poverty in order to enrich us through their voices, their stories and their faces.”
He also underlined that helping the poor is not only a matter of charity, but of justice. The Gospel requires more than almsgiving; it calls for structural attention and pastoral work that gives dignity.
Many dioceses, Caritas organizations, Catholic charities, and local parishes around the world organize events around this date or throughout November in solidarity with the poor, following themes from the Vatican and their Bishops’ Conferences.
The 2025 Jubilee of Hope serves as a powerful reminder of the Church’s mission to bring light, compassion, and renewal to a world in need. Through the Jubilee of the Poor and the Jubilee of Prisoners, the faithful are called to embody the spirit of mercy and justice that lies at the heart of the Gospel. These observances invite reflection on the shared human dignity of all people and inspire concrete acts of solidarity toward those who suffer from poverty, exclusion, or confinement. As pilgrims of hope, the Church and its members are encouraged to walk together in faith, opening their hearts to transformation and working toward a more just and compassionate world.
