Rome welcomes record 33.5m pilgrims for Holy Year
Rome welcomed a record 33.5 million pilgrims in 2025 for the Catholic Holy Year, Vatican and Italian officials said Monday. The surge of visitors boosted local tourism, shops, museums, and restaurants.
Holy Years, or jubilees, typically occur every 25 years, allowing pilgrims to enter special “Holy Doors” at four basilicas and meet the pope. This year was unique, opening under Pope Francis and closing under his successor, Pope Leo—the first Jubilee in 300 years to involve two popes, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Officials highlighted that €3.7 billion ($4.32 billion) in state and EU funds spent on 3,200 construction projects, including subway updates and the Trevi Fountain restoration, helped transform the city.
Pilgrims came from 185 countries, with Italy, the US, Spain, Brazil, and Poland leading. A special Jubilee is expected in 2033 to mark 2,000 years since the death of Jesus.
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