The end of July is expected to bring in a storm of young Catholics from every corner of the world for this year’s Jubilee of Youth. Similarly to World Youth Day, this jubilee will be an opportunity for an international coming together of future generations.

Three main events will be held at three different locations in Rome:  St. Peter’s Square, Circo Massimo, and Tor Vergata.

It will all start inside the walls of Vatican City. First day, July 29th, 6 PM in St. Peter’s Square jubilee celebrations are kicking off for all freshly arrived pilgrims. 

The Jubilee of Youth has been thoroughly prepared by the team of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Rolando Streber is part of that team working behind the scenes. 

“St Peter’s Square is a kind of the more obvious one, with it being the center of the church, basically like a sort of capital city of the Catholic Church in a way, expressing of course, unity with the Universal Church and with the Pope,” Streber emphasized. 

Circo Massimo or in English “Circus Maximus” is the next jubilee location. What was once ancient Rome’s largest stadium used for chariot races and public spectacles, is also the grounds on which many Christian martyrs sacrificed their lives for their faith. Here, a penitential day will be held for the young pilgrims on the first of August with confessions available throughout the day. 

“Martyrs are a very powerful testimony of faith,” Streber noted. “It shows that love for Jesus is even worth dying for, even worth giving up your own life for and in a way, that’s what Jesus called us to do, to give our lives up in the name of love for our neighbor.” 

Why then is a penitential day important?

“[On the] penitential day,” Streber commented, “there will be opportunities for reconciliation, for going to confession that will be the main feature of the day. It’s important because we’re here at the dicastery for evangelization, organizing the Jubilee of Hope. In order for evangelization to take place, you need an encounter with Christ and to encounter Christ, you come to him as you are, of course. And that’s what the Sacrament of Reconciliation does. You come to Jesus as you are to seek transformation, conversion, to seek encounter with his mercy.”  

And finally we are here at Tor Vergata. There will be a chance to make a walking pilgrimage to this site from Circo Massimo. Tor vergata is where 25 years ago in the year 2000, St. John Paul II celebrated mass and a vigil with young people for World Youth Day.   

This place, that holds so many memories, will be the third location for the jubilee of youth and will be the meeting point between pilgrims and Pope Leo XIV. On Saturday, 2nd of August, at 8:30pm, an evening vigil with the holy father will take place after which the youth, along with their sleeping bags, will be spending the night at Tor Vergata awaiting mass with Pope Leo XIV, the very next morning, marking the end of the jubilee of youth. 

Celebrating Mass with the Pope, listening to him, talking with him, this is the highlight of the Jubilee of Youth. 

 “It’s very important for youth,” Streber highlighted. “I think, apart from being maybe a little bit starstruck. Oh, wow I’m seeing the Pope, it matters. He is our pastor, the pastor of the Universal Church, and he very often has words that can encourage us along the journey of our faith.” 

What is the role of the youth in the life of the Church, what can they do for the Pope, how have the Pope benefited from having a connection with the youth?

“It brings youth and energy to the Church, definitely,” Streber noted. “Yeah, I think it’s encouraging. I mean, I can’t speak for him, but I am sure that it is. Even a powerful witness, you know, for him, in a way to see all these young people gathered in the name of Jesus, in the name of Christ, for the Church, to be a show of life in the Church.”

As the Jubilee of Youth draws closer, the eternal city is waiting patiently to welcome young hearts, minds and souls to fill the streets of Rome, showing that the Catholic Church, is very much alive today. 

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Adapted by Jacob Stein