Pope Francis kicked off the 2025 Holy Year on Tuesday, inaugurating a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome in a test of the pope's stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them.

Pope Francis inaugurated a special jubilee year for Roman Catholics during a Christmas Eve ceremony at the Vatican. He marked the occasion by opening the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica, typically sealed with bricks.