On a bright September weekend in Rome, a sea of rainbow colors swept through the heart of the Catholic world. For the first time in history, more than 1,400 LGBTQ Catholics and their supporters from around 20 countries gathered in the Eternal City for a pilgrimage officially recognized by the Vatican. The event, which took place on September 5 and 6, 2025, was not only a milestone for participants but also a signal of shifting winds within the Catholic Church—an institution that has long wrestled with questions of inclusion and tradition.
The pilgrimage began at the 17th-century Baroque Church of Jesus, where about 1,000 pilgrims played music, prayed, and reflected together, according to CNN. The following day, the group—organized by La Tenda di Gionata (The Tent of Jonathon), an Italian association advocating for greater inclusivity—processed with a rainbow-colored cross through the central corridor. Their destination: the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, a portal only opened during Jubilee years, which occur every 25 years, including 2025. Stepping through this door is a powerful symbol of forgiveness and reconciliation in Catholic tradition.
For many, the event was deeply personal. Yveline Behets, a 68-year-old transgender woman from Brussels, walked 130 kilometers (about 80 miles) with 30 others along the ancient Via Francigena pilgrimage route to reach Rome. She shared with AFP, “One should not misuse the word ‘welcome’. We are not just some outsiders who are welcomed sometimes, or more regularly—we are part of the same family.” Wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the rainbow flag, Behets’s presence underscored the diversity and determination of the group.
Hugo, a 35-year-old pilgrim from Quebec, Canada, echoed the sentiment, telling AFP that the pilgrimage was “a really important signal for us to feel more included.” He hoped the event would inspire others in the Church “to allow themselves to be more welcoming towards homosexuals.” Yet, he acknowledged that “a lot of obstacles remain,” especially for same-sex couples seeking the Church’s blessing for their unions.
The inclusion of the pilgrimage on the official Jubilee calendar marked a dramatic shift from just 25 years prior. Back in 2000, when LGBTQ events coincided with the Jubilee, the Vatican’s response was condemnation under Pope John Paul II. Francis Debernardo, executive director of the New Ways Ministry, recalled to CNN, “Twenty-five years later, LGBTQ Catholics are being received by the Holy Door to the Vatican. It’s a big change.”
The transformation did not happen overnight. Over his 12-year pontificate, Pope Francis repeatedly called for LGBTQ Catholics to be received as “children of God.” He made headlines with his now-famous response to a question about gay priests: “Who am I to judge?” Francis authorized blessings for same-sex couples and advocated for the decriminalization of homosexuality worldwide. Yet, he never altered the Church’s official doctrine, which, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, allows sex only between a married man and woman and describes homosexuality as “intrinsically disordered.” The Catechism also insists that gay people must be treated with “respect, compassion and sensitivity,” and that “unfair discrimination” should be avoided.
Francis’s reforms were not without controversy. His 2023 decision to permit priests to bless same-sex couples triggered fierce opposition, particularly from conservative factions in Africa, as reported by AFP. Still, his actions paved the way for a new era of dialogue and cautious optimism among LGBTQ Catholics. Michael O’Loughlin, leader of the LGBTQ Outreach Catholic Group, described the pilgrimage as a “huge moment,” telling CNN that LGBTQ Catholics are “cautiously optimistic” that the Church will continue on this path.
The baton has now been passed to Pope Leo XIV, Francis’s successor. Earlier in the week leading up to the pilgrimage, Pope Leo met privately with Reverend James Martin, a New York-based Jesuit priest and prominent advocate for LGBTQ Catholics. Martin, who led a U.S. LGBTQ group participating in the pilgrimage, has maintained a close relationship with both Francis and now Leo. After the meeting, Martin told CNN, “The message I heard from Pope Leo is that he will continue Pope Francis’s legacy in his ministry with LGBTQ people, which is a ministry of opening and welcoming.”
Pope Leo has stated that marriage, in the Church’s eyes, remains a union between a man and a woman. However, he has indicated he will not reverse Francis’s decision allowing blessings for same-sex couples. This stance, while not satisfying all parties, signals continuity rather than rollback—a fact not lost on those who have long felt excluded.
Still, the road to full acceptance is far from smooth. The Catholic Church’s official stance on homosexuality remains unchanged, and the topic continues to stir deep divisions among the faithful. Beatrice Sarti, an Italian mother who accompanied her gay son on the pilgrimage, emphasized the need for a shift in attitudes within the Church. “Many of our children no longer go to church… because they are made to feel that they are wrong,” she told AFP. Sarti, a member of La Tenda di Gionata, argued that “the first thing to do is train educators, the seminarians, the priests and the bishops, starting at grassroots,” while acknowledging, “it is a very long process.”
The tension between doctrine and pastoral care is palpable. In 2023, Cardinal Prevost, when asked about the Church’s approach to LGBTQ people, stated, “We are seeking to be more welcoming and more open and say that all people are welcome in the church,” adding that no one should be excluded “simply based on the choices they do, whether life, work, way of dressing or anything.”
For now, the historic pilgrimage stands as both a celebration and a challenge. It’s a celebration of progress, of doors—literal and figurative—opening wider than ever before. And it’s a challenge to an ancient institution to continue grappling with questions of identity, love, and belonging. As the pilgrims passed through the Holy Door, they carried not just a rainbow-colored cross, but also the hopes of millions for a Church that truly embraces all its children.
While the journey toward full inclusion remains ongoing, the events in Rome this September have left an indelible mark. For many, it’s a sign that even the oldest traditions can find space for new voices, and that faith, at its best, is about building bridges rather than walls.