Jubilee 2025: Official Events for August

August is a time of holidays and vacations for those who can afford to take a few weeks, or even just a few days, off work. Thus, the official calendar of Jubilee 2025 is also taking a break to resume with a packed program of major events next September. This, of course, doesn't mean the spirit of the Holy Year can't be experienced even during the August weeks; in fact, the hottest month of the year opens with the energy of the Youth, who will be the protagonists in Rome until August 3rd.

The city, still vibrant with pilgrims, therefore invites you to enjoy a moment of relaxation, dedicating yourself to reflection and prayer. This is in keeping with the intentions with which Pope Leo XIV himself greeted the faithful in St. Peter's Square on July 29th after the Mass presided by His Excellency Archbishop Rino Fisichella: "The world needs messages of hope; you are this message, and you must continue to give hope to everyone."

"We hope that all of you will always be signs of hope in the world!" he continued, off the cuff. "In the coming days, you will have the opportunity to be a force that can bring the grace of God, a message of hope , a light to the city of Rome, to Italy, and to the entire world. Let us walk together with our faith in Jesus Christ. And our cry must also be for peace in the world. Let us all say: 'We want peace in the world!' Let us pray for peace and be witnesses to the peace of Jesus Christ, to reconciliation, to this light of the world that we are all seeking."

Following this hope, in the absence of major events, August is the ideal time to immerse yourself individually in Jubilee spirituality, for example, by passing through the Holy Doors of the four papal basilicas : St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. And why not, pilgrims can follow Jubilee routes, such as the Pilgrimage of the Seven Churches, through alleyways and squares that whisper of history. An invitation to slow down while staying on the path of faith.

The Youth Jubilee inaugurates the month of August The program for August 2nd and 3rd

As mentioned, the first days of August see Rome crowded with young people on pilgrimage to the capital to participate in the Youth Jubilee, an extraordinary event that from July 28th to August 3rd brings faithful from 146 countries to the Eternal City. And the numbers are staggering: according to initial data released, no fewer than 120,000 young people attended the welcoming ceremony in St. Peter's Square. The program continued with two days dedicated to Dialogues with the City , featuring over 70 cultural, artistic, and spiritual events in locations such as Trastevere and the Pincio. Concerts, exhibitions, and moments of reflection were also held.

Then, on Friday, August 1st, the Circus Maximus hosts Penitential Day (10:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.), with over 1,000 priests available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in ten languages, preparing hearts for the vigil with Pope Leo XIV. The heart of the event, however, is the first weekend of the month (August 2nd and 3rd), when Tor Vergata will be filled with all the energy circulating in the city. On Saturday the 2nd, the gates open at 9:00 a.m., welcoming—according to estimates the day before—around one million young people.

Here, from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the stage hosts music and testimonies . Hosts include Rudy Zerbi and Lorena Bianchetti, along with others, along with guests including Il Volo, Matt Maher, the Christian bands The Sun and Reale, and the Hakuna Group Music choir. The Prayer Vigil with Pope Leo XIV follows at 8:30 PM, during which three young people will engage with the Pontiff on topics such as friendship, courage, and spirituality. The night will then be spent in tents and sleeping bags, in a fraternal atmosphere. On Sunday the 3rd, at 9:00 AM, the final Mass presided over by the Pope will conclude the event, leaving a sign of hope.

How to get to Tor Vergata

To facilitate smooth traffic flow during the final days of the Youth Jubilee, Roma Mobilità has developed a specific plan for reaching Tor Vergata safely. The main pedestrian routes (1 ORANGE, 2 PURPLE, 3 BLUE), staffed by Civil Protection volunteers, with water and medical supplies, lead to the Archiginnasio, Passo Lombardo, and CNR entrances, with improved public transport and parking spaces for tour buses.

For those using the Metro A , the Anagnina station connects to the Passo Lombardo gate via the PURPLE route (5 km), which passes through Via Vincenzo Giudice and Via Bernardino Alimena. Metro C , however, offers two options: from the Giardinetti station, the ORANGE route (3.5 km) follows Via dei Romanisti and Via della Sorbona to the Archiginnasio gate; from Grotte Celoni, the BLUE route (5 km) passes through Via del Torraccio and Via di Vermicino to the CNR gate.

Regional trains FL4 and FL6 stop at Ciampino, where the GREEN route joins the PURPLE route (7.5 km) via Via della Stazione di Ciampino. Roma Mobilità also informs that, for the occasion, Metro lines A, B/B1, and C will extend service from 4:30 AM to 1:30 AM, with increased service on the San Giovanni-Grotte Celoni section of Metro C. The Torre Angela, Torrenova, and Tor Vergata FS stations will remain closed, and on August 3, access to San Giovanni is restricted: pilgrims from Metro C must therefore continue on foot to Termini.

The body of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati exhibited for the first time in Rome

Coinciding with the major youth event, in early August Rome will welcome for the first time the incorrupt body of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Turinese symbol of faith and charity. Until Monday, August 4th, the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva —a short walk from the Pantheon—will house the remains that have been kept in Turin Cathedral since 1990, ahead of Frassati's canonization scheduled for September 7th, along with that of Carlo Acutis.

The exhibition, organized by the Diocese of Rome through its Office for Youth Ministry, opened on July 26 with a solemn Mass presided over by Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina. For the occasion, the Dominican basilica , a treasure trove of art and spirituality, will be a venue for catechesis, meetings, and multilingual conferences to raise awareness of the life of Frassati, a "man of the Beatitudes," an example of joy, social justice, and dedication to the poor.

His testimony, which has touched hearts around the world, resonates through the naves of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, inviting young people to live the hope of the Jubilee. On August 4, a Mass at 11:00 a.m., celebrated by the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher—who brought Frassati to WYD 2008—will conclude the veneration , before the relic's return to Turin.

The Jubilee in August: the Holy Doors and the Pilgrimage of the Seven Churches

Finally, when the Holy Year events enter their summer recess, pilgrims can continue to experience the Holy Year in a personal way. Meanwhile, it will still be possible to pass through the Holy Doors of the four papal basilicas, which will be open between late 2024 and early 2025. Furthermore, a unique experience is the Pilgrimage of the Seven Churches , which follows the route of St. Philip Neri. This itinerary—which is 20 km long in its entirety—visits the basilicas of St. Peter, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, and St. Sebastian.

Traditionally walked in a day, it requires comfortable shoes and a water bottle, especially under the August sun. It's a journey through history and faith, amid ancient marble and sacred silence, culminating with a plenary indulgence. August, with its slower pace, is ideal for this walk, perhaps with a few relaxing breaks to recharge and fully enjoy Rome's timeless beauty.