Pope Francis urged inmates to never give up hope as he inaugurated the Vatican’s Jubilee Year at the high-security Rebibbia prison on the outskirts of Rome on Thursday.

Pope Francis on Tuesday opened the Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, marking the official beginning of the Jubilee year of the Catholic Church. In a Christmas Eve ceremony rich with symbolism,

Pope Francis made a visit on Thursday to one of the largest prison complexes in Italy, opening a special "Holy Door" for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, in what the Vatican said was the first such action by a Catholic pontiff.

The Pope chose to open the Holy Door at the Rebibbia prison in Italy as his second of five doors during the 2025 Jubilee for this reason.

Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.