Tourism Jubilee: Commerce Over Conversion in Neo-Church Ritual
The Catholic News Agency (December 16, 2025) reports on a “Jubilee of Tourism” pilgrimage in Rome, celebrating tourism workers for facilitating “religious experiences” for millions. Organized by the Associations of Qualified Tourist Guides, the event included a Mass celebrated by Italian Bishop Antonio Staglianò (president of the Pontifical Academy of Theology), a candlelit procession across the Bridge of the Angels, and passage through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The article frames tourism as a spiritual endeavor, quoting organizers who emphasize its role in highlighting “the spiritual and religious dimensions” for pilgrims. With claims of 30 million visitors expected for the “Jubilee of Hope,” the piece reduces sacred tradition to a commercial spectacle.









