The Jubilee of the Missionary World and the Jubilee of Migrants will bring tens of thousands of pilgrims from over 100 countries to Rome from October 4–5, with events including a Mass with Pope Leo XIV, international prayer gatherings, and the Festival of Peoples.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Rome is preparing to welcome thousands of pilgrims from across the globe as it hosts two significant events in the life of the Catholic Church: the Jubilee of the Missionary World and the Jubilee of Migrants, taking place concurrently on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, 2025. 

According to a press release issued by the Dicastery for Evangelization, the events are being organized in collaboration with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, as well as the Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.

Global gathering for the Jubilee of the Missionary World

The Jubilee of the Missionary World will bring together pilgrims from nearly 100 countries, with a particular focus on lay and religious missionaries, pastoral workers in mission territories, fidei donum priests, and missionary organizations. Delegations will be arriving from countries including Italy, the United States, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, France, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, the Philippines, India, and Canada, with additional participants coming from Zambia, Lesotho, China, Costa Rica, Madagascar, and Mauritius.

The event will officially begin on the morning of Saturday, October 4, with a special Jubilee Audience at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, presided over by Pope Leo XIV. All pilgrims participating in the Jubilee are invited to attend.

Later in the afternoon, between 2 and 5 p.m., pilgrims will undertake a symbolic pilgrimage through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, a ritual central to Jubilee celebrations. This will be followed by the International Missionary Encounter, held from 5:00 to 6:45 p.m. at the Pontifical Urban University (Via Urbano VIII, 16). Themed “Missio ad gentes today: Toward new horizons,” the session will be coordinated by the Dicastery for Evangelization, together with the Pontifical Mission Societies.

In the evening, national groups will gather to celebrate missionary vigil Masses in multiple churches in multiple languages around the Vatican: English at Santa Maria delle Fornaci; French at San Lorenzo in Piscibus; Spanish at the main chapel of the Urban College; and Portuguese, German, and Chinese at the International Missionary Animation Center.

Italian-language Masses will be celebrated at Santa Maria in Traspontina at 7 p.m. and the Chapel of Casa “Dono di Maria” at 7:30 p.m.

International missionary Rosary

The first day will conclude with a solemn international missionary Rosary at 9:00 p.m. in St. Peter’s Square, where all are invited to gather in a moment of shared prayer and spiritual reflection.

On Sunday, October 5, the pilgrims will return to St. Peter’s Square for Holy Mass, celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at 10:30 a.m.

That afternoon, from 3 – 7 p.m., the celebration continues with the Festival of Peoples, a public cultural event in the Gardens of Castel Sant’Angelo, titled “Migrants and Missionaries of Hope Among the Nations.”

The festival will feature performances, testimonies, and artistic expressions from a wide range of global communities. Special guests include Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, as well as other senior Church officials engaged in mission work.

Jubilee of Migrants

Running alongside the missionary jubilee, the Jubilee of Migrants will also welcome approximately 10,000 pilgrims from 95 countries.

This celebration is dedicated to all migrants, with participants coming from countries such as Italy, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, the Philippines, Germany, Portugal, India, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Albania, Romania, Madagascar, Eritrea, Togo, Cape Verde, and Mauritius.

Like the Missionary Jubilee, the Migrant Jubilee will open with the Jubilee Audience with Pope Leo XIV on Saturday morning, followed by the pilgrimage through the Holy Door in the afternoon.

The shared Mass on Sunday morning will unite both communities in St. Peter’s Square, after which migrants and missionaries will come together again for the Festival of Peoples in the afternoon, an event being promoted by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Dicastery for Evangelization, with the support of numerous Catholic organizations that serve migrants, refugees, and mission territories.

The Festival of Peoples

The Festival of Peoples promises a vibrant and inclusive afternoon of music, storytelling, and cultural celebration. Featured participants include the Latin Indian community of Rome, the youth group of the Filipino community, the Sorirang ensemble from Korea, the International Migrants School of Rome, and the PerùFolk cultural association, among others. The festival embodies the Church’s commitment to hospitality, multiculturalism, and unity in diversity.

Entrance to the event, which is free and open to the public, takes place from 3 – 7 p.m. Early access will start at 2:30 p.m.

The program will be hosted by a team of presenters representing different nationalities, including Italian, Afghan, and Indian voices. Attendees will also include Cardinal Fabio Baggio, C.S., Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, along with other officials from the Dicastery for Evangelization.

A faith transcending borders

These concurrent jubilees highlight the Catholic Church’s ongoing mission to reach the margins, welcome the stranger, and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures within the global faith community.

As expressed in the press release from the Dicastery for Evangelization, this celebration of missionaries and migrants is more than an event—it’s a living testimony to a Church that “walks with the peoples, brings hope to the nations, and celebrates a faith that transcends borders.”