Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have flooded through the streets and churches of Rome for the Jubilee Year of 2025. Gatherings have included a Jubilee of Youth, a Jubilee of Priests, and a Jubilee of the Poor.
But as the tide of tourism runs its final course, there was one unique jubilee on December 15 that most people likely haven't heard about: the Jubilee of Tour Guides.
Elizabeth Lev is the chief organizer of the event. She describes how it all came together, after almost not happening at all.
ELIZABETH LEV
Organizer of Jubilee of Tour Guides
So it was something I noticed at the beginning of the year, and in the beginning, it made a few little noises with not much of a response. Then we got caught up in the year, and this has been an incredibly busy year for everybody who works in touring. And so, you know, between Easter and the Conclave and all the different events, it occurred to me, as the year was ticking down, I'd never really moved any further on it. So it really was an Ultima or a Hail Mary pass, which I'm delighted to see was caught and it looks like we're going to make it over the finish line.The Jubilee event included a Mass for the tour guides in the church of San Salvatore in Lauro, followed by a procession to St. Peter's. The tour guide's job is to lead pilgrims through Rome. This time, they were the pilgrims.
FRANK
Tour Guide, Rome
There's something special because you are on the other side of the barricade, you feel like most of those are buildings. We're getting into St. Peter's Basilica without the stress of leading a tour, it's just ourselves, in our personal faith, our personal credo, stepping into the largest and most beautiful church in the world. And it's a sort of reconciliation with your own faith and your own credo, yourself and your job too.
Bishop Antonio Stagliano, who celebrated the Jubilee Mass, stresses the powerful mission of tour guides in the Church and how they serve pilgrims.
BISHOP ANTONIO STAGLIANÒ
President of the Pontifical Academy of Theology ORIG. ENGLISH
The tourist guides have a very important duty, a challenge to give this possibility to all tourists to understand the very meaning of the object of arts. Because a work of art is not a static object in front of me. It is an invitation to a relationship.
After the Mass, the tour guides processed through St. Peter's Square on their way to the Holy Door of St. Peter's, passing right beneath the newly lit Christmas tree.
JPO
