ROME – When the Jubilee of Hope kicked off last week with the first major event of the holy year, dedicated to communicators, it represented a series of perks but also significant challenges that one can expect to play out throughout the year.

From Jan. 24-26, the Jubilee for the World of Communications took place in Rome and at the Vatican, marking the first major jubilee event of the 2025 holy year and a celebration for journalists and communicators around the world.

As the first big jubilee event, it sent an important signal in terms of what can be expected for other jubilee appointments as the year goes on, coming to an end on Jan. 6, 2026.

This is especially true since the event was dedicated to journalists and communicators, meaning every aspect of the event was carefully observed and all the details, big and small, were taken special note of.

Based on the experience of those who traveled to Rome to attend the event and those covering it as part of the Vatican press corps, there are three main takeaways.

A challenge in communication

Perhaps one of the most ironic observations about the Jubilee for the World of Communications is how little information was available, especially on logistics.

Basic information about the official program was published on the Vatican’s jubilee website, however, it contained no description of when to meet and where, and what access to the various appointments would entail.

Presumably some of that information was acquired or determined by those leading specific groups, however, normally it would also be conveyed in a press conference held in advance, with plenty of time to ask questions and get information out in a timely and efficient manner.

However, in this case, no press conference was held, with the Vatican opting instead to send out a spray of emails containing documents and information sheets that journalists had to wade through on their own in an attempt to obtain information, and without the ability to ask questions.

A “meeting point” for the event was finally organized by the Vatican, but not until Jan. 24, the day the Jubilee for the World of Communication started. It was only announced two days prior, leaving those wishing to cover it scrambling to do so.

In perhaps one of the most richly ironic moments of the jubilee event, the WIFI signal at the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, where the main jubilee event and audience with the pope took place Jan. 25, did not work.

Journalists attending and those covering it complained throughout the event that they either could not get connected, leaving them in a sort of black hole inside the audience hall, or it was incredibly slow, in some cases taking 15 minutes just to send a picture to an editor over WhatsApp.

For many seasoned Vatican reporters, these challenges represent a longstanding gripe about the declining efficacy of the Vatican’s communications apparatus, where despite Pope Francis’s reforms, information is increasingly difficult to obtain in a clear and timely manner, and where regular engagement with the press is becoming a relic of the past.

(As a coda to all this, one perfect illustration came Monday night, when the Holy See Press Office sent out the embargoed text of a major document on Artificial Intelligence with no prior announcement or heads up.

The nearly 50-page document, “Old and New: on the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence,” was sent at 7:34 in Italian, and a synthesis and in-house editorial commentary were sent at 7:44p.m. No translations were available until an English and Spanish version were sent out at 9:15p.m.

An embargo was set for 8a.m. Tuesday morning, leaving journalists no time to carefully read through the document or consult with experts for insight before the document’s publication.)

All in, from a communications point of view, the unfolding of the first jubilee event and the episode with the AI document present serious challenges for the Vatican in terms of the availability and clarity of information, yet for regular Vatican watchers, these frustrations are all part of the drama that make the Vatican, and covering it, so unique.

Papal stamina

Another question the Jubilee of Communications demonstrated was whether Pope Francis, who is 88 and suffers from various health maladies, has the stamina to keep up with the rapid pace and heavy workload of the jubilee year.

On Jan. 25, the day he met in audience with journalists and press representatives who traveled to Rome for the Jubilee of Communications, Francis had nine public and private audiences on his schedule, including a Vespers service outside of the Vatican.

When he arrived at his audience with communicators Saturday, many of whom had traveled from other countries for the procession through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica that morning and had been waiting for two hours for the pontiff’s arrival, he was in and out in a flash.

Once the pontiff arrived, he skipped the nine-page speech he was slated to give, distributing it to attendees instead, and gave a brief informal greeting before leaving.

For journalists who traveled long distances to take part in the event and have some face time with the pope, it was a disappointment, and as the first major jubilee event, it raised questions about the pope’s ability to maintain an increased workload.

Granted, Pope Francis had had seven meetings prior to his audience with communicators, and he still had to preside over a Vespers service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls that night, so it was a particularly busy day for the octogenarian.

Still, with the number of audiences and requests for sit-downs with the pope higher than usual this year, the pope’s Flash-like appearance raised some doubts about his ability to keep up with it all.

Rome is always Rome

Despite the various gripes of participants in the Jubilee for Communications, and those who covered it, for those who traveled to Rome, there was still something special about coming to the Eternal City.

Just being in Rome, so close to the beating heart of the Church, and being immersed in the spiritual and cultural patrimony of the city and having the opportunity to walk through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, was inspiring and worthwhile.

Rome has a way of leaving a lasting effect on visitors, and the Vatican, despite its unique challenges and frustrations, is still a place of mystery and is a constant source of awe and inspiration.

While this event raised serious questions about the efficacy of Vatican communications and the pope’s own endurance as the year unfolds, it also demonstrated that whatever the inconveniences are and however limited the time with the pope might be, it is still something that will be remembered and treasured by those who experienced it.

Follow Elise Ann Allen on X: @eliseannallen