𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭. 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬

Ten thousand communication professionals from young adults to high-profile business CEOs from all over the world inaugurate the first jubilee event of the Holy Year with a three-day program for the Jubilee of the World of Communication at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran on January 24th. The event began with the liturgical feast of Saint Fransis De Sales, patron of journalists, writers and communicators.

The program began with a penitential liturgy led by Father Giulio Albanese, Director of the Office for Social Communications in Rome. This was followed by an international Mass celebrated by Cardinal Reina, who emphasized the importance of two key virtues for journalists: “heart and hope".

The penitential liturgy that preceded the Mass began with readings from 'Spes non confundit' - Hope does not disappoint, Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction for the 2025 Jubilee. The liturgy invited participants to reflect on the hope that resides in every heart and to embrace the path of conversion symbolized by passing through the Holy Door, which represents Christ Himself. The heart of the celebration was symbolized by a relic of St. Francis de Sales, which had been brought to Rome from the northern Italian city of Treviso, where it has been safeguarded since 1913.

Pope Francis’ message for the 59th World Communications Day, quoted extensively during the event, underscored the call to share hope with gentleness - a virtue central to the Jubilee’s mission.

The three-day event continued with a pilgrimage to the Holy Door on the morning of January 25, followed by an audience with Pope Francis in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. The jubilee event concluded with the "Sunday of the Word of God" Mass presided over by the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Basilica on January 26.

- Commission for Social Communication, Diocese of Badulla (Jan 27, 2025)