VATICAN Jubilee 2025, the Holy Door opens in Rebibbia prison. Pope: “There is always something good”

Today, the feast of Saint Stephen, Bergoglio went to the Prison on the northeastern outskirts of Rome: ‘Cathedral of Pain’. He presided over the Holy Mass in the Church of the Our Father. In his homily: “Hope never disappoints!” At the Angelus in San Pedro he invited people to pay the debts of the “oppressed” countries.

Rome () – In Rome not only the papal basilicas will guard the holy doors for the jubilee year that has begun – after Saint Peteron the 29th they will open in San Juan de Letrán, on January 1 in Santa María la Mayor and on the 5th in San Pablo Extramuros. Today, Saint Stephen, the second holy door has been opened, or rather, it has been opened wide, in the words of Pope Francis, in the Rebibbia prison, before 300 people including inmates and penitentiary staff. “The grace of a Jubilee is to open wide, to open and, above all, to open hearts to hope,” the pontiff said this morning in the Church of the Lord’s Prayer, reopened after four years. A hope that in the uncertain wait of those imprisoned in what is a “cathedral of pain” and a “basilica in quotes” represents salvation.

It is in this symbolic place of human marginality, of the thresholds, where the symbolic gesture has been made today. A marginality also inhabited by God, who does not forget the little ones; and it is this gesture that reminds us of his presence. “He awaits us at the threshold,” the Pope said yesterday during the Urbi et Orbi Christmas message-. “It awaits each of us, especially the most fragile.” Among the latter are, in fact, the elderly, those experiencing war, those who have lost their home or their job, the persecuted and the imprisoned. In statements to the Italian agency Sirthe chaplain of Rebibbia, Father Lucio Boldrin, said: “The opening of the Holy Door wants to be this cry: let us reopen hope also to those who have done evil in the world.”

«Hope does not disappoint, never! Think carefully about this. I think so too, because in bad times you think that everything is over, that nothing is resolved. But hope never disappoints,” said Bergoglio during the homily recited at the Holy Mass presided at 9 in the morning. A hope that does not give up was told by Pope Francis with the evocative image of the anchor from which a firm rope extends to which to hold on. «Sometimes the rope is hard and hurts our hands… but with the rope, always with the rope in our hand, looking at the shore, the anchor takes us forward. There is always something good, there is always something that keeps us going,” he added.

But doors wide open should not be just an aesthetic artifact, incapable of excavating consciences. But an opportunity for a deep opening, especially of the “door of the heart.” «When the heart is closed it becomes hard like stone; forget the tenderness. Even in the most difficult situations – continued the Bishop of Rome – always keep your heart open; the heart, which is precisely what makes us brothers. Open wide the doors of the heart. Everyone knows how to do it. Everyone knows where the closed or half-closed door is. “Everyone knows it.” At the end of the Holy Mass, Pope Francis also extended Christmas greetings and wishes to the prisoners “who remained in their cells.” «May next year be better than this one. “Every year should be better,” he said. And again: «Hands joined. Don’t forget them.”

A few hours later, the pontiff looked out of the window of the Vatican Apostolic Palace to pray the Angelus on the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. In the commentary that preceded the Marian prayer, he expanded on the story of his stoning that appears in the Acts of the Apostles (cf. 6:8-12; 7:54-60), at which time he “prays for his “murderers.” In this way he seems to suffer the violence “powerlessly.” “In reality, as a truly free man, he continues to love even his murderers and offer his life for them, like Jesus,” Bergoglio explained. «He offers his life so that they may repent and, having been forgiven, they may have the gift of eternal life. In this way, the deacon Stephen is presented to us as a witness of the God who has a great desire: ‘that all men be saved.'”

Next, he looked at those who are discriminated against in the world today because of their faith. «Unfortunately, today there are also, in various parts of the world, many men and women persecuted, sometimes to the point of death, because of the Gospel. What we have said about Stephen also applies to them,” added Pope Francis. «They do not allow themselves to be killed out of weakness, nor to defend an ideology, but to make everyone share in the gift of salvation. And they do it, first of all, precisely for the good of their murderers, and they pray for them. He then recalled Blessed Christian de Chergé, murdered in Algeria in 1996, “who called his murderer ‘a last minute friend’.”

Finally, after the Angelus prayer, there was an invitation addressed to the international community for the Holy Year that has just begun. «One of the actions that characterizes the jubilees is the forgiveness of debts. Therefore, I encourage everyone to support the Caritas Internationalis campaign titled ‘Turning Debt into Hope’ to relieve countries burdened by unsustainable debts and promote development,” he said. «The issue of debt is linked to that of peace and the black market in weapons. Stop colonizing towns with weapons. Let’s work for disarmament. Let’s work against hunger. “Against disease, against child labor, and let us pray for peace throughout the world.” He then wished peace for the tormented Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu, “and so many countries that are at war.”