The End of the Jubilee Year

More than 33 million pilgrims visited Rome during the 2025 Jubilee Year, which officially ended on January 6, 2026, with the closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica by Pope Leo.

The solemn ceremony, held on the Feast of the Epiphany, marked the conclusion of a year dedicated to faith, hope and spiritual renewal for Catholics worldwide.

The Holy Door, opened at the start of the Jubilee as a symbol of forgiveness and grace, was ceremonially shut following Mass, bringing to a close one of the largest religious events in recent Church history.

Pope Leo urged the faithful to carry the spirit of compassion, unity and mercy experienced during the Jubilee into their daily lives as pilgrims returned home from Rome.

Rome's Holy Doors (in the four major basilicas and other designated sites) open only during a Holy Year (Jubilee), which occurs roughly every 25 years, with the most recent being 2025. These special doors, bricked up the rest of the time, symbolise passage to the sacred and are opened by the Pope to mark the Jubilee for spiritual renewal and forgiveness.