(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 07.10.2025).- The elderly are signs of hope and witnesses of blessedness. The first Message of Pope Leo XIV for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, whose fifth edition will be celebrated on Sunday, 27 July 2025, was published today. The theme of the Message is “Blessed are those who have not lost hope (Sir 14:2)” and fits into the context of the Jubilee of Hope 2025. In the Message, the Holy Father invites us to recognise the elderly not only as recipients of pastoral care, but as witnesses of hope who are active protagonists in the life of the Church.
Old age can be a time of blessedness in which hope, tested in the fire of a long life, becomes a source of joy and renewed trust in the Lord. God “teaches us that, in his eyes, old age is a time of blessing and grace, and that the elderly are, for him, the first witnesses of hope.’ states Pope Leo XIV in his Message.
A Jubilee for everyone, even those who are physically unable to make a pilgrimage
This year, on the occasion of the Jubilee of Hope, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has prepared a pastoral proposal to allow elderly people who are unable to participate physically in pilgrimages to also experience the grace of the Jubilee. The pastoral kit, which is being published today and is available on the event page at www.laityfamilylife.va, includes a suggestion for a Jubilee celebration to be held in the places where the elderly live. The grace of the Jubilee is always for everyone!
An invitation to celebrate the Day in all communities
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life invites all dioceses, parishes, associations and ecclesial communities to celebrate the V World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, focusing on the joy of a renewed encounter between generations. As usual, it is proposed to organise a Eucharistic Celebration dedicated to the elderly and to visit elderly people living alone in their communities, bringing them the Holy Father’s Message and a sign of closeness.
Gervasi: the elderly are at the centre of the Church’s life
‘This Day,’ says Bishop Dario Gervasi, Adjunct Secretary of the Dicastery, ‘is an opportunity to reaffirm that the elderly are never alone, but are at the centre of the Church’s life. Their experience of life and faith is a precious heritage that enriches new generations and strengthens links into every community.’
Resources which may be shared to promote the Day at the local level
The pastoral kit with the Holy Father’s Message, the Official Prayer, suggestions for celebrations and the Logo of the Day is available on the website of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (www.laityfamilylife.va). All resources can be downloaded and are useful for sharing and promoting the Day in view of celebrations in parishes and dioceses, at a local, national and international level.
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