Are you ready for an incredible event in Rome in 2025? The City of Rome is currently seeking suitable spaces to accommodate 400,000 boys and girls from July 28th to August 3rd for the Youth Jubilee. Various locations such as school gyms, sports halls, and sports centers in Rome, its province, and the Lazio region are being considered.
Pope Francis at one of the meetings of the 2025 Jubilee (La Presse)
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Approximately one million boys and girls are expected to arrive in Rome in the summer of 2025 for the Jubilee. This estimate is based on the last World Youth Day held two years ago in Lisbon and information received by the Holy See from various Italian Dioceses and around the world. The grand event is scheduled from July 28th to August 3rd, with dedicated meetings.
August 4th will be the last day of pilgrimage and meetings for 100,000 Neocatechumens. The Holy See has requested a replication of what was done during the 2000 Jubilee, which is to seek structures that can accommodate approximately 400,000 young people for free, setting up beds in school gyms for boys and girls. We spoke with Agostino Miozzo, responsible for the Jubilee’s accommodation.
The search for spaces for the youth’s beds
“Defining the numbers for us, who are responsible for organizing the Jubilee’s accommodation, is important,” explains Miozzo. “We have activated the system already used for the 2000 Jubilee in schools, using gyms as dormitories completely free of charge and offered by the public and private system. In synergy with the regional director of the Lazio School Anna Paola Sabatini, we have already launched a survey among institutes to assess which and how many schools in the territory of Rome, the hinterland, and outside the Roman province are available and suitable for the initiative.”
“Many towns outside Rome, including Tivoli and Anagni, and numerous surrounding areas, have already expressed their availability for other buildings,” Miozzo continues. “Among these, an interesting space is the former Civil Protection structure of Castelnuovo di Porto, with large warehouses that we are evaluating, as they could accommodate around 20,000 people. The Municipality has already made two schools, two school gyms, and the sports center available to us.”
The census of schools and the “no” from principals
Compared to the 2000 Jubilee, the regulations have changed because today principals are also responsible for the school institutes. While some Roman leaders are in favor of the initiative, others are opposed. The reasons include their responsibilities regarding safety and any damage to the buildings, as well as the lack of space and the fact that some schools in Rome are under renovation, thanks to the funds of the Pnrr. “Some buildings, especially those located in the historic center, do not have gyms and gardens to set up the necessary services. Most suitable schools are located in the outskirts, where we will set up temporary showers and bathrooms.”
Extended search to gyms and sports centers
Another issue concerns the fact that gyms of some Roman institutes already host activities such as courses and summer camps. Therefore, the search has expanded to sports halls and sports centers, from the city center to the outskirts and beyond. The organizers are currently evaluating the spaces.
