Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

Pilgrims are lining up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration

Pope Francis made a visit on Thursday to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy, opening a special "Holy Door" for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, in what the Vatican said was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff.

Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.

Pope Francis called for cease-fires for the conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East during his Christmas message in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.