Pope Leo Silent as LGBTQ Catholic Storm Rome for Holy Year Pilgrimage: "New Sense of Acceptance"
- Hundreds of LGBTQ+ Catholics joined the Holy Year pilgrimage in Rome, celebrating a new sense of acceptance in the church
- Bishop Francesco Savino and other church leaders welcomed pilgrims, linking the Jubilee to restoring dignity for the marginalised
- Pilgrims credited Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV for fostering inclusion, allowing LGBTQ faithful to fully participate in church rituals
Italy, Rome - Hundreds of LGBTQ+ Catholics and their families joined a Holy Year pilgrimage to Rome on Saturday, September 6.
This is to celebrate what many described as a new level of acceptance in the Catholic Church after years of exclusion.
Source: Getty Images
The vice president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Francesco Savino, celebrated Mass for the pilgrims in a packed Chiesa del Gesù, the main Jesuit church in Rome.
His homily drew a sustained standing ovation when he linked the Jubilee tradition to restoring hope for people on the margins.
“The Jubilee was the time to free the oppressed and restore dignity to those who had been denied it.
“Brothers and sisters, I say this with emotion: it is time to restore dignity to everyone, especially to those who have been denied it," Savino said.
Groups mark milestone in Vatican calendar
Several LGBTQ+ advocacy groups participated, including the Italian organisation Jonathan’s Tent, DignityUSA and Outreach from the United States.
The event appeared in the Vatican’s official calendar of Holy Year events, a symbolic gesture that many saw as significant, though organisers stressed it did not amount to formal sponsorship.
Marianne Duddy-Burke of DignityUSA reflected on the contrast with past experiences.
“I was here 25 years ago at the last Holy Year with a contingent of LGBTQ people from the U.S., and we were actually detained as a threat to the Holy Year programmes.
“To now be invited to walk through the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica, fully recognised as who we are and the gifts we bring to the Church, is a day of great celebration and hope," she said.
Pope Francis credited with opening doors
Many pilgrims attributed the change to Pope Francis, who during his papacy gained attention for his pastoral tone.
From his famous 2013 remark, “Who am I to judge?” to allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, he became a symbol of openness even while formal Church teaching remained unchanged.
John Capozzi, who travelled from Washington D.C. with his husband, Justin del Rosario, said Francis’ approach had drawn him back to Catholicism after leaving during the AIDS crisis.
“There was that feeling like I wasn’t welcome in the Church, not because I was doing anything, just because of who I was.
“With Pope Francis, I was able to come out and say, ‘Hey, I am Catholic, I’m proud of it and I want to be part of the Church," he recalled.
A message of hope and healing
On Friday evening, pilgrims gathered for a vigil service at the Jesuit church, where testimonies from gay couples, parents of trans children and priests moved the congregation to tears.
“Our eyes have known the tears of rejection, of hiding, of shame. Today, however, there are other tears, new tears. They wash away the old ones. And so today these tears are tears of hope," said Father Fausto Focosi.
Pope Leo signals continuity
Source: Twitter
Though Pope Leo XIV did not directly mention the LGBTQ+ pilgrims during his Jubilee audience on Saturday, his stance has been watched closely since his election in May, NBC News reported.
Past remarks had raised questions about his views, but more recent meetings suggest a continuation of Francis’ more inclusive tone.
After a private audience with Leo earlier in the week, Jesuit advocate Father James Martin said:
“I heard the same message from Pope Leo that I heard from Pope Francis, which is the desire to welcome all people, including LGBTQ people.”
Bishop Savino confirmed that he had received Leo’s blessing to celebrate the Mass for the pilgrims, CBS News reported.
For Del Rosario, Capozzi’s husband, the pilgrimage was both personal and spiritual.
“Pope Francis influenced me to return back to Church. Pope Leo only strengthened my faith,” he said.
Leo XIV makes first outing after election
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Pope Leo XIV made an unannounced visit to a shrine dedicated to Saint Augustine in a small town outside of Rome, where he prayed before a famed icon housed there and met with members of the Augustinian order.
This was Pope Leo's first visit to the community after being elected pontiff on May 8, 2025.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
