On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis will symbolically open the sealed Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, inaugurating a jubilee year that is expected to draw a whopping 32 million visitors to Rome — 10 million more than this year’s record high.
Jubilees are a Catholic Church tradition dating to 1300. They are considered a time for reconciliation and renewal. Catholics who visit designated sacred sites and engage in redemptive activities can obtain a jubilee indulgence — a sort of spiritual deep cleaning and mega-pardon for earthly sins.
For many Romans, though, this jubilee feels like a mixed blessing. It is set to give a massive boost to the tourism industry, a pillar of the Roman economy. It has also helped motivate Rome’s biggest facelift since the 1960 Olympic Games. With $5 billion worth of projects funded by the national government, the city is transforming in ways that will outlast the pilgrims.
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