On the night of Christmas Eve an exciting program broadcast in the late evening (11.10 pm) on Rai1: «Jubilee 2025: in memory of Saint John Paul II» will tell a 25-year journey, from the Jubilee of 2000, celebrating the life and legacy of the Holy Pope, to what awaits us in 2025, passing through the extraordinary one of “Mercy”.
The protagonist of this journey is the “Pilgrim’s staff”, which represents God’s support during the pilgrimage. From Palazzo Altemps, a historic residence where a rich collection of sculpture was placed in a magnificent architectural setting in the sixteenth century and now home to the National Roman Museum, a 70-minute show to offer a unique look at the jubilee celebrations, exploring the spiritual aspects , artistic and cultural events of this important global event. With the participation of an exceptional guide: the Pro Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization Monsignor Rino Fisichella, to whom Pope Francis has entrusted the direction of the next Holy Year.
The program, full of iconic and moving passages, will explore the salient moments of the Jubilee, illuminating the profound impact of Saint John Paul II on faith and society, and establishing significant connections with the pontificate of Pope Francis. In addition to spiritual reflections, notable guests will perform during the evening: it will be an opportunity to explore the connection between faith, art and culture over these years. A journey through two decades of history, to celebrate the pivotal role of Saint John Paul II as promoter of peace, social justice and spirituality.
The evening will be hosted by the actress Nicoletta Romanoff and Domenico Gareri, direction and artistic direction are by Duccio Forzano: music and words, accompanied by the Calabria Philharmonic Orchestra (composed by the musicians of the Tchaikovski Conservatory of Catanzaro) under the direction of Maestro Filippo Arlia, with the participation of the artists Paolo Belli, Amedeo Minghi, Giovanni Caccamo, Frida Bollani and Simone Cristicchi.
«Having reached the third year of our participation – said Maestro Arlia – I now feel part of the large family of the program created by Domenico Gareri and no longer a guest. The new edition will also be full of lots of beautiful music, but this Christmas Eve will have a different, very particular flavor for me: the musical notes will be a prayer addressed to heaven for my father, who passed away on November 6th.”
«The journey is the story of each of us»: Kledi, the Albanian naturalized Italian dancer and actor, together with his dancers will take spectators into an emotional dimension, a source of communication and love. The actor Sebastiano Somma will accompany them on the narrative journey, where the themes that concern young people will be touched upon with the testimony of the students who won scholarships from the John Paul II Institute. Don Alberto Ravagnani, the priest who brought the Church into the social media era, with over 150 thousand followers on Instagram and millions of views on Youtube, represents a new language aimed at the young generations.
A virtual visit also in the history and beauty of the Vatican Museums, with the works of art that the Roman Pontiffs have collected and preserved for centuries, thanks to the testimony of Barbara Jatta, defined as the “guardian of culture” and the first woman to lead the Museums Vaticans. With her we will address the importance and role that art, also according to Pope Francis, plays as a vehicle of evangelization, spirituality and diffusion of values to be shared.
The «Jubilee 2025: in the memory of Saint John Paul II» program is produced by Mariella Manna’s Life Communication, sponsored by the Episcopal Conferences of Europe and the Giovanni Poalo II Foundation and created in collaboration with Rai Vaticano. The format was written by Duccio Forzano, Donatella Damato and Patrizia Barsotti.