For the first time in the long and storied history of the Vatican, a rainbow pride cross was officially processed into the heart of St. Peter’s Basilica, marking a watershed moment for LGBTQ Catholics and their allies. Over the weekend of September 5-7, 2025, more than 1,400 LGBTQ Catholics and their families from 20 countries gathered in Rome for what participants and observers alike are calling the first officially recognized LGBTQ pilgrimage during the Vatican’s Jubilee Year celebrations. This unprecedented event, which included prayer vigils, Masses, and the traditional passage through the Holy Door, has been hailed as a turning point in the Church’s relationship with LGBTQ faithful.
According to National Catholic Reporter, the Vatican’s Jubilee calendar this year has hosted special events for a wide array of groups—families, sports enthusiasts, even social media influencers. Yet, until now, LGBTQ Catholics had not found a place on that list. That changed when the “Pilgrimage of the Tenda di Gionata Association (Jonathan’s Tent) and other associations” appeared on the Vatican’s official online calendar, signaling a measure of institutional acknowledgment, if not outright endorsement. Agnese Palmucci, spokesperson for the Vatican’s evangelization office, clarified, “It ensures organizers and pilgrims alike can plan accordingly,” emphasizing that the listing was logistical rather than an official stamp of approval.
The pilgrimage was organized by Jonathan’s Tent, an Italian advocacy group dedicated to the full acceptance and celebration of LGBTQ Catholics in the life of the Church. International organizations such as DignityUSA and Outreach also played a significant role, with Outreach founder Jesuit Father James Martin leading a group of about forty pilgrims. Participants donned rainbow-themed attire and carried pride crosses as they took part in spiritual events across Rome, culminating in a highly symbolic Mass at St. Peter’s and the crossing of the Holy Door—a rite of passage reserved for Jubilee years, which occur only once every 25 years.
Emotions ran high as pilgrims, some moved to tears, walked through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. For many, this act was more than a ritual: it was a declaration of belonging in a Church that has often kept them at arm’s length. Ruby Almeida, a board member of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics, reflected on the transformation: “Twenty-five years ago, for those who came to the Jubilee as LGBT people, the difficulties and resistances were enormous. Now it seems almost the opposite. They tell us: ‘Come in, you are welcome, sit with us.’”
The highlight of the pilgrimage came with a packed Mass at the Jesuit Church of the Gesù, presided over by Bishop Francesco Savino, vice president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference. In a homily that drew a standing ovation from more than 1,000 attendees, Bishop Savino spoke passionately about the spirit of the Jubilee: “It was the year when land was returned to those from whom it had been taken. The Jubilee was the remission of debts and the liberation of slaves and prisoners. 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 those who have been denied it.”
Father James Martin, a prominent advocate for LGBTQ Catholics, described the event as “semi-official” and historic. “I think it’s pretty historic. I can’t imagine this happening before Pope Francis or before Pope Leo,” he told The Catholic Reporter. Martin, who met privately with Pope Leo XIV on September 1, 2025, shared that the Pope expressed his desire to continue the message of inclusion and openness championed by his predecessor, Pope Francis. “He wanted to continue the message of inclusion and reception of Pope Francis, and above all of opening to the LGBTQ Catholics,” Martin recounted.
While the Vatican stopped short of granting an explicit papal audience or official recognition—privileges extended to other Jubilee groups—organizers and participants nevertheless saw the pilgrimage as a major step forward. Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, put it this way: “Not only do LGBTQ+ people walk to say that they belong to the Church, but also the official ecclesial institutions that welcome them and give them voice. The fact that Pope Leo did not stop this pilgrimage—as previous popes probably would have—is an evident sign of welcome.”
Stories of personal transformation and spiritual affirmation echoed throughout the three days. Victoria Rodriguez, a transgender Catholic woman from Spain, recalled a moment of prayer years ago when she felt called to embrace her identity: “God was telling me that he had given me the talent of my identity and I had hidden it out of fear. He said to me: ‘Don’t hide it, live it on. I will protect you.’” For Rodriguez, the Jubilee pilgrimage was a collective confirmation that “We must not choose. We can live our sexuality and our spirituality. God created us like this, and loves us like this.”
The path to this moment has not been easy. Pope Francis, who died in April 2025, did not alter official Church doctrine but made significant gestures toward LGBTQ inclusion, including a landmark 2023 decree permitting priests to bless same-sex couples. His pastoral outreach to marginalized groups, including trans women living near Rome, set a tone of welcome that his successor, Pope Leo, appears poised to continue. Ana Flavia Chávez Pedraza, a transgender Catholic from Peru, expressed hope for ongoing dialogue: “The meeting with Father James Martin was a sign of continuity. But there can be no sheepfold without sheep. We hope that the Holy Father meet us too.”
For many, the pilgrimage was both a celebration and a call to action. Nancy Bouchier, a retired Canadian historian who joined the pilgrimage, emphasized the importance of community: “Synodality is everything: it means building community, putting LGBT people together. There is nothing more joyful than living in the community. I thank God for having lived enough to be able to see it.”
As the Vatican continues to grapple with debates over LGBTQ inclusion, the events of this Jubilee weekend have left an indelible mark. For the first time, LGBTQ Catholics were not only present but visible, welcomed, and celebrated in the very heart of their Church. The journey toward full acceptance is far from over, but for many who walked through the Holy Door this weekend, the message was clear: there is a place for everyone at the table.