A Jubilee with the colors of the rainbow: when the LGBTQ Catholics+ will cross the Holy Door
Article by José Lorenzo, published on the Catholic Religion Digital website (Spain) on December 10, 2024. Freely translated by the volunteers of the Gionata project.
Among the hundreds of events organized in view of the Jubilee of 2025, which will be celebrated in Rome and for which the arrival of over 30 million pilgrims is expected, there is one that, nine months from the beginning, already has Great interest, contrasting feelings and also some criticisms from some LGBTQ+groups aroused.
The latter have accused the Vatican of wanting to conceal this event with a strong symbolic value: a pilgrimage to the Basilica of San Pietro, with the passage through the Holy Door and the obtaining of plenary indulgences, aimed at members of the LGBTQ+ community who wish to participate.
Un pellegrinaggio promosso da “La Tenda di Gionata”
The initiative is organized by the Italian Association La Tenda di Gionata, which has set the Pilgrimage for September 6, 2025. The Il Messaggero newspaper has anticipated that it will be accompanied by a "special moment of spirituality" hosted in the historic Church of the Jesus, who will welcome the LGBTQ+pilgrims, their parents and all the associations that deal with pastoral accompaniment. ...
"Everyone is the welcome," confirms the Vatican
Il prefetto del Dicastero per l’Evangelizzazione, monsignor Rino Fisichella, ha confermato l’evento all’agenzia Ansa, dichiarando che “tutti sono i benvenuti”. Ha inoltre spiegato che l’iniziativa è nata su richiesta dell’associazione La Tenda di Gionata e che è ufficialmente inserita nel jubilee calendar, like many others.
However, some LGBTQ+ associations wanted to reiterate that "it is not a LGBTQ+ Jubilee".
The request to the Vatican and the debate on visibility
His father Pino Piva, Jesuit known for his commitment to welcome LGBT+Catholics, had made a formal request to the Vatican months ago: “We wrote a letter explaining why we wanted to be present. After many months, we received a positive response, which also included our desire to cross the Holy Door, "he told the Roman newspaper.
The Gay.it site, on the other hand, expressed the hope that Pope Francis will take a position (publicly) regarding the reception of LGBTQ+believers. “In interviews behind closed doors, the Pope has shown sometimes merciful and other contradictory attitudes. The time has come that Francesco himself eliminates a taboo still strong in ecclesiastical environments ", reads an editorial of the portal.
La posizione de “La Tenda di Gionata”
L’organizzazione La Tenda di Gionata sembra però non dare peso alle polemiche. Sul proprio sito web, spiega che il Giubileo è un anno dedicato alla remissione dei peccati, alla riconciliazione e alla conversione, una tradizione che affonda le radici nella Bibbia e che ogni 50 anni segnava un tempo di riposo per la terra e di ristabilimento dei giusti rapporti con Dio, con il prossimo e con la creazione.
“For this reason - he continues -, in view of the Jubilee 2025 announced by Pope Francis, the Association La Tenda di Gionata He asked to be able to organize a jubilee pilgrimage on September 6, 2025, which is now included among the events reported by the Jubilee Secretariat ", as confirmed by the official website of the Holy Year.
“That day, together with other close realities, walk with LGBTQ+believers, their families and pastoral operators who accompany them, as we do since 2018, through the Santa di San Pietro gate.
We want to live this time in which we are all called to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim the liberation to the prisoners and the sight to the blind, to free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of grace of the Lord (Lk 4,18- 19;
Original text: A Jubileo También Color Arcoíris: Católicos Lgtbi cruzarán La Puerta Santa End San Pedro EN 2025
