In a landmark development for the Catholic Church, more than 1,000 LGBTQ Catholics and their supporters are holding a pilgrimage at the Vatican this weekend — the first time such an event has featured in the official Jubilee programme.The gathering, which drew about 1,400 participants from nearly 20 countries, was organised by La Tenda di Gionata (The Tent of Jonathan), an Italian association advocating inclusivity within the Church.
Pilgrims, including a group who trekked along the ancient Via Francigena route, carried a rainbow-coloured cross as they entered Saint Peter’s Basilica through the Holy Door, symbolising their integration into the Church’s spiritual traditions.
Participants described the event as a powerful statement of belonging. “We are not just some outsiders who are welcomed sometimes — we are part of the same family,” said Yveline Behets, a 68-year-old transgender woman from Brussels. Hugo, a 35-year-old Canadian, echoed the sentiment, calling the pilgrimage “a really important signal” for inclusion while acknowledging ongoing resistance within the Church.
While Pope Francis, who passed away in April, had taken steps to embrace LGBTQ faithful — including permitting blessings for same-sex couples in 2023 — traditional doctrine still regards homosexual acts as contrary to Catholic teaching. His successor, Pope Leo XIV, has upheld Francis’s decision on blessings but maintains that marriage remains a union between a man and a woman.
Many see this pilgrimage as a symbolic yet incomplete step. “Many of our children no longer go to church because they are made to feel that they are wrong,” said Beatrice Sarti, an Italian mother attending with her gay son. “That absolutely needs to change, and it begins with education at every level of the Church.”The event reflects both the progress and challenges ahead in the Catholic Church’s ongoing dialogue with LGBTQ communities.
