By Silvia Guidi
At the presentation of the Jubilee of Sport at the Vatican Press Office, Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça said, “Sport teaches us to rise after a fall, just as faith sustains us in times of difficulty.”
The two-day event will conclude with the celebration of Mass by Pope Leo XIV in St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, Jun 15.
Speaking during the press conference, former Italian Olympic swimmer, Novella Calligaris, said, “For an athlete, losing is crucial—it’s the moment when one truly reveals who they are: how they recover, what they learn, and how they define their next goal.”
Calligaris, the first Italian swimmer to win an Olympic medal and set a world record in the 800-meter freestyle, is now a journalist and she presented the Jubilee events during the briefing alongside Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education; Amelio Castro Grueso, a Paralympic fencer; and Giampaolo Mattei, President of Athletica Vaticana.
“Every athlete carries a unique story,” Calligaris added. “The result speaks for itself, but what truly matters is the journey – what motivated them, the suffering, the setbacks, and the victories. In ancient Greece, the Olympic Games included poetry, dance, and song. We must recover this holistic vision of culture.”
A community in motion
“Even when practised alone, sport is always a communal act,” said Cardinal Tolentino, underlining its power to speak to the human heart, its joys, its longing for meaning, transcendence, and the infinite. As Pope Leo XIV has stated, this Jubilee is less about competition and more about the cultural and educational essence of sport.
On Jun 1, the Holy Father told Giro d’Italia cyclists: “You are role models for young people around the world.” Reflecting on those words, Cardinal Tolentino remarked, “They express two truths: the Church’s recognition of sport and the social responsibility entrusted to athletes. May this Jubilee awaken in them the awareness that they, too, are missionaries of hope.”
Beyond the podium
The programme begins on Saturday, Jun 14, with the conference “The Momentum of Hope: Stories Beyond the Podium”, hosted at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute and with the participation of Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee. Participants will also join pilgrims for the Jubilee Audience with Pope Leo XIV in St Peter’s Square.
The first session will include testimonies from track star Letsile Tebogo, Olympic fencer Valentina Vezzali, Paralympic fencer Amelio Castro Grueso, and former footballer and coach Sérgio Conceição. A second panel will explore the Church’s pastoral presence in sport, featuring Francesca Scibetta (Salesian Youth Sports), Giampaolo Mattei (Athletica Vaticana), Litus Ballbe Sala (Pastoral Ministry of Sport), and Paola Virginia Gigliotti (Sentieri Frassati Association). The conference will conclude with the awarding of the international photography contest “Sport in Motion”, aimed at engaging young people in cultural reflection through sport.
In the afternoon, athletes, families, and friends will take part in the Jubilee’s central ritual: the Pilgrimage through the Holy Door.
In the evening, the Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire” will be screened, celebrating the interplay of passion, faith, and sport.
One great team
“On Jun 1, we experienced a remarkable beginning,” said Giampaolo Mattei. “Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed a vision of sport that encompasses the whole person—body, mind, heart, and spirit. On May 27, during a meeting with Napoli’s football club, he emphasised teamwork and the educational dimension of sport.”
“The Jubilee of Sport is not a competition, tournament, or championship. It is a Christian experience to be shared by athletes—professionals and amateurs of all ages—alongside coaches, organisers, supporters, and their families. One great team, equal in dignity, with no regard for medals,” he said.
During Sunday’s Eucharistic celebration, in a symbolic gesture, representatives of the French Bishops’ Conference will present Athletica Vaticana with the “Cross of Athletes,” a spiritual sign for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be placed in the Chapel of Athletes in the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene.
Previously present at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, the Cross, blessed by Pope Francis at World Youth Day in Rio, was also carried to WYD Lisbon in 2023. Following tradition, Athletica Vaticana will entrust the Cross of Athletes to dioceses hosting future Winter and Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, echoing the journey of the WYD Cross. – Vatican News
