Jubilee of Consolation – Pilgrimage and Vigil with Pope Leo XIV set for Monday
Just over a month after the Jubilee of Youth, the major Jubilee events are back … On Monday, September 15, the Jubilee of Consolation will take place, a special Jubilee event for this Holy Year dedicated to all those who are experiencing, or have experienced, moments of particular difficulty, grief, suffering, or poverty in their lives.
Over 8,500 people are expected to take part from all over the world, with delegations already booked from Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, and Australia.
Many associations, foundations, and religious organizations dedicated to helping those in need of support and care are also involved. These include the "Figli in Cielo" Association, which offers programs for families who have experienced the premature loss of a child or loved one; the Paolo VI Family Home, which welcomes families moving to Rome for their children's cancer treatment free of charge; the Villa Maraini Association, which provides treatment for those suffering from drug addiction, alcohol abuse, gambling, and new addictions such as technology, and also offers prison rehabilitation services; the Italian Association of Road Accident Victims and Injuries - Onlus, which offers psychological and administrative support to the families of victims; and the Scintille di Speranza Association, located at Rome's Laurentino Cemetery, which supports those who have lost a family member.
The Jubilee of Consolation will begin on the morning of September 15th between 8:00 am and 12:00 noon with group pilgrimages to the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. In the afternoon, at 5:00 pm, a Prayer Vigil will begin inside the Basilica, presided over by the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. The Liturgy of the Word, centered on the parable of the Good Samaritan, from the Gospel of Mark (Mark 10:25-37), will be followed by the testimonies of two women, Diane Foley, from the United States, and Lucia Di Mauro Montanino, from Naples. Foley is touring the world to tell the story of reconciliation and forgiveness, thanks to the power of faith, with Alexanda Koley, of the jihadist group that killed her son, journalist Jim Foley, in Syria in 2014. Lucia di Mauro Montanino will recount how she transformed the pain of her husband's murder into a moment of rebirth through meeting and accompanying Antonio, one of the young men who participated in the attack. After the testimonies, the Pope will deliver his homily.
During the Vigil, the statue of Our Lady of Hope, from the parish-sanctuary of Battipaglia, will be present in the Basilica. Each participant will then receive the "Agnus Dei," a wax medallion depicting the Paschal Lamb, a symbol of resurrection and a sign of hope, which will be blessed by the Holy Father during the Vigil. On the other side is a representation of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, which is greatly venerated in the city of Rome.