PRESS RELEASE
JUBILEE OF CONFRATERNITIES, FROM 16 TO 18 MAY, 100,000 PILGRIMS IN ROME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
(Vatican City, 15 May 2025) – From Friday 16 to Sunday 18 May 2025, the major Jubilee event dedicated to Confraternities will be held, calling over 100,000 faithful to Rome. The participants come from 100 countries from all the continents, and in particular, numerous groups will be present from Italy, Spain, the United States, Malta, France and Brazil. Many pilgrims will arrive in Rome also from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Chile, Ethiopia, Australia and New Zealand.
On Friday 16 May, from 8.00 to 17.00, there will be the pilgrimages of the Confreres to the Holy Doors of the papal Basilicas. At 17.00, the Confraternity of Rome will welcome the groups of pilgrims from all over the world with a welcome meeting, in collaboration with the diocese of Rome, at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. The event will involve a moment of prayer, enlivened by the diocesan Choir directed by Msgr. Marco Frisina, testimonies, and greetings from the delegations of the European Confraternities present in Rome.
The following day, Saturday 17 May, starting from 14.00, there will be a historic event for the city of Rome and for the Confraternities, of strong spiritual value: the Grand Procession through the streets of the centre, representing all the entities of popular faith rooted in Italy, Europe and the entire world. In particular, for the first time in Rome, there will be two statues from among the most venerated of the Andalusian “Semana Santa” processions: the “Santísimo Cristo de la Expiración”, better known as “El Cristo del Cachorro” of Seville, a masterpiece of Andalusian Baroque from 1682, almost two metres high and carried in procession on a litter supported by 42 porters, and the “Virgin of Hope” of Malaga, an image unique of its type, also highly venerated, placed on a majestic base and transported by 270 people. It will be possible to admire the two statues from 13 to 17 May inside Saint Peter’s Basilica.
The Grand Procession, which has attracted interest and media attention throughout Europe, and which faithful and tourists may attend, will take the form of two processions along two route, which will “meet” symbolically at the Circus Maximus.
The “main” procession, with eight confraternities who will carry their famous statues, litters, thrones and traditional images, will leave from Piazza Celimontana at 14.00. Besides the two statues already mentioned, brought to Rome by the Spanish Confraternities of the Hermandad del Cachorro from Seville and the Archiconfradia del Paso y la Esperanza from Malaga respectively, the main procession will also feature, again from Spain, the Cofradía del Dulce Nombre de Jesus Nazareno from Léon, with the “Paso de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno”, from Portugal the Real e Venerável Irmandade do Santíssimo Sacramento of Mafra, with the “Mafra Crucifix”, from Italy the Priorato Ligure delle Confraternite with two crucifixes, and the Confraternita Maria Santissima Addolorata from Enna, with the statue of “Our Lady of Sorrows” from Vatican City the Arciconfraternita Vaticana di Sant’Anna de’ Parafrenieri, with the statue of Saint Anne, and from France, the Archiconfrérie de la Sanch de Perpignan, with the crucifix “le Dévot Christ”.
The “main” procession will follow Via Claudia and Via Celio Vibenna up to the Circus Maximus and then, in a circular route, will return from Via Claudia to the starting point. This will be joined by a second procession, which will again begin at 14.00 from Largo Cavalieri di Colombo, following Viale delle Terme di Caracalla and concluding in the Circus Maximus, from where the Confrères will be able to watch, at around 16.30, the passage of the first section of the main procession, with the eight Confraternities.
At the end of the Jubilee, the members of the Confraternities and their companions, in traditional dress, will attend the celebration of Holy Mass for the beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo XIV, on Sunday 18 May at 10.30 in Saint Peter’s Square. Entry into the square is free and tickets are not required for the celebration.
PRESS OFFICE - JUBILEE 2025
Dicastery for Evangelization
Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the world
press@iubilaeum2025.va
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Accreditation and participation procedures
Journalists and media operators who wish to participate must apply, no later than 24 hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system at press.vatican.va/accreditamenti.
Journalists and media operators will be able to access the press areas from 11.30, provided they have valid accreditation to the Holy See Press Office.
A press tribune will be available opposite the area for the authorities at the Circus Maximus, in Piazzale Ugo La Malfa. The press tribune is reserved primarily to photographers and TV cameramen, and will be accessible from Via delle Terme Deciane. It will not be possible to carry out live television broadcasts from this location.
Two other press areas will be set up in Via di San Gregorio and in Piazza di Porta Capena, where it will also be possible to make live TV broadcasts. A dedicated network connection will not be provided. It will be possible to follow the procession outside the delimited route.
The TV signal will be produced and distributed free of charge by Canal Sur TV. For the use of the signal and technical information please write to booking@rtva.es
