By Joseph Tulloch

Pope Francis met with a group of young people from the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired on Friday morning.

In a short address, the Pope reflected on the meaning of the pilgrimage with a group of children and teenagers, urging them to “never stop moving forward.”

On the go

The theme of the 2025 Jubilee year is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, the Pope said. He pointed out that the concept of pilgrimage is intrinsically linked to walking.

“That’s what I want to wish for you,” said the Pope, “that you always go forward.”

“Never be silent,” the Pope stressed. “Never stop moving forward.”

destination

A pilgrim, however, the pope emphasized, is not just someone who walks but someone who has a destination — and, in the case of pilgrims this Jubilee Year, that destination is the Holy Door.

The Holy Door is indeed a symbol, the Pope said, representing Jesus Christ, the secret of salvation, “which allows us to enter into new life.”

And so, the Pope stressed, “I would like to be for you not only walkers but also pilgrims – that is, eager to meet Jesus, to know him and to hear his word.”

Pilgrims of hope

Pope Francis concluded his address by citing the example of various young people — Pier Giorgio Frasati, St. Francis, and St. Clare, St. Teresa of the Child Jesus — who chose to live their lives this way.

“Dear friends,” the Pope said, “these are the ‘pilgrims of hope’, the young people who met the Lord Jesus and walked with him… Let us follow this path, and let us also hope for these people. Small signs can be found.”