Harmonies of faith: a cultural journey within the Jubilee of Hope

By Linda Bordoni

In a letter penned by Pope Francis in February 2022, the Dicastery for Evangelization was entrusted with preparing and celebrating the upcoming Jubilee of 2025.

Presenting the programme drawn up by that Dicastery, its Pro-Prefect for the Section of New Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, told the press that in that letter, the Pope noted, "The Jubilee has always been an event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church," a special gift of grace and beacon of hope that will draw individuals from all corners of the world into its embrace.

Preparation and celebration

Thus, the Archbishop continued -  at a press conference on Thursday morning at the Holy See Press Office - the Dicastery has been working hard to ensure that the preparation and celebration of this special time will indeed usher in a new era of spiritual renewal and hope.

Noting that an official announcement of the opening of the Jubilee is scheduled to be made on 9 May, the feast of the Ascension, with the publication of the Bull of Indiction, Fisichella said the theme of the Jubilee, "Pilgrims of Hope," resonates universally.

“The experience of hope is rooted in the heart of every person as an expectation of good and a desire for fulfilment,” he said. As Pope Francis observes, it permeates many realms of study, from literature to science and the arts. So, he continued, the machinery of the Jubilee has been tirelessly at work, not only in logistical preparations but also in nurturing its profound spiritual significance.

He said the Pope’s invitation to make this “moment of grace a significant moment for the pastoral care of the particular Churches," has given birth to the need “to extend the experience also to the cultural dimension which by its nature extends to everyone and becomes a true vehicle for sharing values that precede faith”.

Cultural Commission

That’s why, he said, from the early days of planning, a Cultural Commission was set up to find the most suitable ways to give depth to the Jubilee experience, which invites the Christian community to experience the pastoral fullness of the church, but also transcends prayer and encompasses the entirety of human existence.

The Pro-Prefect went on to list a long programme of initiatives that aim to provide an experience of faith but also to foster dialogue and shared values.

Amongst these is the "In Cammino" project, a pilgrimage to Europe's historic abbeys, symbolizing a journey of faith, reason, and environmental stewardship.

But the Jubilee's cultural outreach also extends with a long list of art exhibitions, concerts, and film screenings.

Music, films, art

Concert offerings include a series of events under the banner "Harmonies of Hope" and exhibitions on the theme "Open Skies" that aim to provide beauty and inspiration.

On hand to illustrate the programme of films chosen to accompany pilgrims and faithful on their Jubilee journey was Monsignor Dario Edoardo Viganò, film, media, and tv expert, and Vice Chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences.

Monsignor Viganò illustrated the careful cinematographic choice that ranges from Vittorio De Sica’s 1945 recently remastered “Doorway to Heaven”  to Wim Wenders’ 2023 “Perfect Days”, a varied selection of films that aims to highlight the yearning of every man and woman “to turn to the one God and to reveal to him what lies hidden in the depths of their heart.“

Also present at the press conference was Fr Alessio Geretti, art expert and curator of exhibitions, who revealed that works by Salvador Dalì and Marc Chagall, both artists who were strongly influenced by their own experiences of faith and whose works are imbued with religious references and symbolism, will be on show in the Eternal City, together with a number of other exhibits including one dedicated to Russian icons.

In conclusion, Archbishop Fisichella said, the Jubilee of 2025 stands as a testament to the enduring power of hope. Quoting Pope Francis he said: May this year of grace “contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire."