(ZENIT News / Rome, 04.03.2025).- This weekend, Rome will become a global gathering place for those dedicated to healing and care. On April 5 and 6, the Eternal City will host the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare Workers, one of the major events of the Holy Year, bringing together around 20,000 participants from more than 90 countries. Patients, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and healthcare professionals from across the world will converge on the Vatican, embodying the universal spirit of compassion and solidarity.
The event will open on Saturday morning with a pilgrimage to the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, allowing attendees to begin their spiritual journey with a moment of reflection and renewal. But the Jubilee is not only a time of prayer; it is also a platform for dialogue, education, and community engagement.
Throughout the day, various locations across Rome will host discussions, workshops, and awareness campaigns addressing key healthcare issues. One of the highlights will be the “Dialogues with the City” series, featuring cultural, spiritual, and artistic events in central Roman squares. At Piazza di Spagna, an important discussion titled “The Value of Giving and Solidarity” will take place, with prominent figures including Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Italian Health Minister Orazio Schillaci, Rome’s Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, and Lazio Region President Francesco Rocca.
Medical education and public health awareness will be at the forefront. In Piazza Risorgimento, the American Heart Association will conduct a multilingual CPR training session, offering life-saving knowledge in English, Spanish, French, Polish, and German. Meanwhile, the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome will host a symposium titled “Hospice = Hope,” focusing on the importance of palliative care and the dignity of end-of-life treatment.
Health advocacy initiatives will extend across the city, highlighting the role of medical professionals and the importance of public health efforts. In Piazza San Giovanni, the Fratres Association, in collaboration with the Italian Bishops’ Conference, will organize a blood donation drive, inviting participants to contribute to this vital cause. Simultaneously, various health federations will offer medical education and screenings in other Roman squares, covering topics such as addiction prevention, disease awareness, and healthcare accessibility.
Faith and medicine will intersect in special prayer gatherings dedicated to figures who embodied the spirit of compassionate care. A conference at the Church of Santa Monica will explore the inspiring life of Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro, a young medical student who faced a rare disease with extraordinary faith. Meanwhile, churches throughout Rome will host spiritual reflections on figures such as Blessed Luigi Novarese and Saint Camillus de Lellis, highlighting how suffering and healing can become paths to grace.
On Sunday, April 6, the Jubilee will culminate with a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Square at 10:30 AM, presided over by Pro-Prefect Archbishop Fisichella. In a deeply symbolic gesture, he will read a homily prepared by Pope Francis, who has consistently emphasized the Church’s mission to serve the sick, the vulnerable, and those on the margins of society. The Mass, open to all without tickets, will serve as a powerful reminder that healthcare is not just a profession but a calling—one that unites people across borders, cultures, and faiths in the shared pursuit of healing and human dignity.
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