First LGBTQ+ Pilgrimage Celebrated at the Vatican

Sat Sep 13 2025 15:44:00 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A historic gathering of LGBTQ+ Catholics marks a significant milestone in Vatican history as they partake in a joyful pilgrimage during the Jubilee Year.

In a historic event, around 1,400 LGBTQ+ Catholics from 20 countries participated in the first officially recognized pilgrimage to the Vatican, coinciding with the Jubilee Year festivities. The pilgrims engaged in prayer vigils and masses, embodying a spirit of reconciliation as they entered St. Peter's Basilica through the Holy Door. This momentous occasion reflects ongoing dialogues within the Church regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion, following Pope Francis's previous decree allowing blessings for same-sex couples.

A historic pilgrimage is unfolding at the Vatican this weekend, with approximately 1,400 LGBTQ+ Catholics donning vibrant rainbow attire as they march in the first officially recognized LGBTQ+ pilgrimage as part of the Vatican's Jubilee Year.

Traveling from 20 different countries, these pilgrims are partaking in various spiritual activities, including prayer vigils and mass celebrations. However, they will not have the opportunity for a private audience with Pope Leo XIV, who took office in May.

While his predecessor, Pope Francis, made significant strides in addressing the LGBTQ+ community before his death in April by permitting priests to bless same-sex couples, he did not alter the Church's doctrine on the matter. This movement toward inclusivity stirred mixed reactions, especially among conservative Catholics, particularly in Africa.

A poignant moment of the pilgrimage took place on Saturday as attendees entered St. Peter's Basilica through the Holy Door, a powerful symbol of reconciliation that opens once every 25 years during jubilee celebrations.

This pilgrimage is historic; it shows that LGBTQ people are claiming their place within the Church, supported by official Church institutions that encourage them to share their narratives, expressed Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, an organization advocating for LGBTQ+ individuals within the Catholic framework.

In total, an astounding 32 million pilgrims are expected to celebrate the Jubilee this year at the Vatican. Amid ongoing discussions regarding inclusion, Pope Leo XIV has not yet publicly addressed the LGBTQ+ community or commented on his predecessor's 2023 directive regarding same-sex blessings.

Pope Francis famously stated in 2020, homosexual people have a right to be in a family... they are children of God, and no one should be cast out or suffer for it. His decree in 2023, allowing blessings for same-sex couples, although facing criticism, represented a significant step forward for the Church, which continues to uphold its definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.