Saturday, February 01, 2025

Concerns about Pope’s stamina for Holy Year ahead raised by first Jubilee event

The first major event of the Jubilee of Hope that occurred last week highlighted both the significant challenges for Pope Francis during the forthcoming Holy Year but also the support, inspiration and empowerment he can draw on as the occupier of the Chair of Saint Peter in Rome, the bastion of the Roman Catholic Faith.

Dedicated to communicators, from 24-26 January the Jubilee for the World of Communications took place in Rome and at the Vatican, marking the first major Jubilee event of the 2025 Holy Year and a celebration for journalists and communicators around the world.

As the first big Jubilee event, it sent an important signal in terms of what can be expected for other Jubilee events as the year goes on, coming to an end on 6 January 2026.

This is especially true since the event was dedicated to journalists and communicators, meaning every aspect of the event was carefully observed, with all the details, big and small, being taken special note of.

Based on the experiences of those who traveled to Rome to attend the event and those covering it as part of the Vatican press corps, there are three main takeaways.

Perhaps the main question the Jubilee of Communications demonstrated was whether Pope Francis, who is now 88 years old and suffers from various health maladies, has the stamina to keep up with the rapid pace and heavy workload of the Jubilee year ahead.

On 25 January, the day he met in audience with journalists and press representatives who had traveled to Rome for the Jubilee of Communications, Francis had nine public and private audiences on his schedule, including a Vespers service outside of the Vatican.

When he arrived at his weekend audience with the media, many of whom had traveled from other countries for the procession through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica that morning and had been waiting for two hours for the pontiff’s arrival, the Pope was in and out in a flash.

Once the pontiff arrived, he skipped the nine-page speech he was slated to give, distributing it to attendees instead, and gave a brief informal greeting before leaving.

For journalists who traveled long distances to take part in the event with the hope of having some face time with the Pope, it was a disappointment, and as the first major Jubilee event, it raised questions about the Pope’s ability to maintain an increased workload.

Granted, Pope Francis had had seven meetings prior to his audience with communicators, and he still had to preside over a Vespers service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls that night, so it was a particularly busy day for the octogenarian leader of the Catholic Church.

Still, with the number of audiences and requests for sit-downs with the Pope higher than usual this year, the Pope’s darting appearance raised some doubts about his ability to keep up with it all.

Perhaps one of the most ironic observations about the Jubilee for the World of Communications is how little information was available, especially on logistics.

Basic information about the official program was published on the Vatican’s Jubilee website, however, it contained no description of when and where to meet, or about what the various appointments would entail.

A “meeting point” for the event was finally organised by the Vatican, but not until 24 January, the day the Jubilee for the World of Communication started. It was only announced two days prior, leaving those wishing to cover it scrambling to do so.

For many seasoned Vatican reporters, these challenges represent a longstanding gripe about the declining efficacy of the Vatican’s communications apparatus, in which, despite Pope Francis’s reforms, information is increasingly difficult to obtain in a clear and timely manner, and regular engagement with the press is becoming a relic of the past.

Nevertheless, despite the various gripes of participants in the Jubilee for Communications, and those who covered it, for those who traveled to Rome, there was still something special about coming to the Eternal City.

Just being in Rome, so close to the beating heart of the Church, and being immersed in the spiritual and cultural patrimony of the city, and having the opportunity to walk through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, was inspiring and worthwhile.

Rome has a way of leaving a lasting effect on visitors, and the Vatican, despite its unique challenges and frustrations, is still a place of mystery and is a constant source of awe and inspiration.

So while this first Jubilee event raised serious questions about the efficacy of Vatican communications and the Pope’s own endurance as the year unfolds, it also demonstrated that whatever the inconveniences and limitations may be, a Jubilee event involving the Pope is still likely to be remembered and treasured by those who experienced it.