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Dec 31, 2025 / 16:00 pm (CNA).

On New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, and the first day of 2026, the Catholic Church offers the opportunity to obtain plenary indulgences as a sign of God’s mercy and the desire for the sanctification of all her members.

A plenary indulgence is remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.

Indulgences on Dec. 31

On the eve of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Church grants a plenary indulgence to those Christian faithful who publicly recite the “Te Deum,” thanking God for the year that is ending. This blessing is extended especially on Dec. 31.

To recite the “Te Deum,” click here.

Indulgences on Jan. 1

Likewise, on Jan. 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a plenary indulgence is granted to those who publicly recite the hymn “Veni Creator,” imploring blessings for the new year that is beginning.

To recite the “Veni Creator,” click here.

Additionally, those who devoutly receive the papal blessing “urbi et orbi” (“for the city and for the world”), either through radio, television, or the internet, as well as those who devoutly receive the blessing of the bishop of their diocese, will also be able to obtain these special blessings from the Church.

Conditions to obtain a plenary indulgence

In addition to performing the specific work mentioned above, the following conditions must be met:

First, it is necessary to be detached from all sin, even venial sin.

Second, one must make a sacramental confession, receive Communion, and pray for the pope’s intentions. These conditions can be met a few days before or after carrying out the action prescribed to obtain the indulgence, but it is suggested that Communion and prayer be performed on the same day that the action is carried out.

It is important to note that several indulgences can be obtained through a single confession, although frequent participation in the sacrament of reconciliation is recommended in order to deepen one’s conversion and purity of heart.

As for receiving Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, it should be noted that with just one Communion and one prayer, made on the same day, a plenary indulgence is obtained.

Finally, the condition of praying for the intentions of the supreme pontiff is fulfilled by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. However, each Christian is given the right to use any other formula according to his personal piety and devotion.

What is a plenary indulgence?

A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.

It is not a forgiveness of sin but the remission of punishment for sins already forgiven. It may apply either to oneself or to souls already in purgatory.

In order to obtain a plenary indulgence the faithful must — in addition to being in the state of grace — both have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin (even venial sin), have sacramentally confessed their sins and received the Eucharist (either within or outside of Mass), and must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

The conditions for a plenary indulgence can be fulfilled a few days before or after performing the actions specified to gain the indulgence, but it is appropriate that Communion and the prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV presides over first vespers (evening prayer) in St. Peter's Basilica in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Dec. 31, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media.

Dec 31, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV at a New Year’s Eve prayer service reflected on God’s divine plan of salvation for the world — and the hope of ordinary people.

“The world moves forward in this way, propelled by the hope of so many simple people — unknown to the world but not to God — who, despite everything, believe in a better tomorrow, because they know that the future is in the hands of the One who offers them the greatest hope,” the pope said in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 31.

Leo presided over first vespers (evening prayer) in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The liturgy included hymns, Psalms, readings from Scripture, and the singing of the “Te Deum,” a Latin hymn of thanksgiving from the early Church.

In his homily, the pontiff spoke about God’s plan versus the plans the world makes.

“In our own time we feel the need for a wise, benevolent, merciful plan — one that is free and liberating, peaceful and faithful, like the plan that the Virgin Mary proclaimed in her canticle of praise: ‘From generation to generation his mercy is upon those who fear him’ (Lk 1:50),” he said.

But, Leo noted, the world is enveloped in other plans: “Strategies aimed at conquering markets, territories, spheres of influence — armed strategies, cloaked in hypocritical rhetoric, ideological proclamations, and false religious motives.”

However, the holy Mother of God sees things with God’s eyes, the pope continued. She knows that “with the power of his arm the Most High scatters the schemes of the proud, casts the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the lowly, fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty.”

Pope Leo XIV presides over first vespers (evening prayer) in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 31, 2025, in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. | Credit: Vatican Media

The Holy Father referenced the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 4, that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.”

The apostle presents the mystery of Christ as “a great plan for human history,” Leo said. “A mysterious plan, yet one with a clear center, like a lofty mountain illuminated by the sun in the midst of a dense forest: This center is the ‘fullness of time.’”

On the vigil of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, he emphasized Mary’s motherhood and her role in the revelation of the great mystery and paradox of “a God who is born of a virgin.”

Pope Leo XIV presides over first vespers (evening prayer) in St. Peter’s Basilica in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Dec. 31, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media

“The mother of Jesus is the woman with whom God, in the fullness of time, wrote the Word that reveals the mystery,” he said. “He did not impose it; he first proposed it to her heart, and once her ‘yes’ was received, he wrote it with ineffable love in her flesh,” he said.

“Thus God’s hope became intertwined with Mary’s hope,” he added.

Pope Leo pointed out that the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, concludes the Octave of Christmas and “spans the passage from one year to the next and extends over it the blessing of the One ‘who is, who was, and who is to come’ (Rv 1:8).”

“The liturgy of the first vespers of the Mother of God possesses a singular richness, deriving both from the dizzying mystery it celebrates and from its placement at the very end of the solar year,” he said.

Recalling that the Church is at the end of the Jubilee Year 2025, he added that the “Te Deum” prayer, to be sung at the end of the liturgy, “seems to expand so as to give voice to all the hearts and faces that have passed beneath these vaults and through the streets of this city.”

Pope Leo XIV visits the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 31, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media

“We thank God for the gift of the jubilee, which has been a great sign of his plan of hope for humanity and for the world. And we thank all those who, during the months and days of 2025, have worked in service to the pilgrims and to make Rome more welcoming,” he said.

“What can we wish for Rome?” he continued. “That it may be worthy of its smallest ones: of children, of elderly people who are alone and frail, of families who struggle most to make ends meet, of men and women who have come from afar hoping for a dignified life.”

After the prayer service, Pope Leo visited the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square, a papal custom, while the Swiss Guard Band gave its annual Christmas concert.

He then personally greeted the band and some of the people gathered in the square.

Pope Leo celebrates First Vespers of the Feast of Saint Mary, Most Holy Mother of God and Te Deum of Thanksgiving on New Year’s Eve in St. Peter’s Basilica, emphasizing in his homily the paradox of “a God born of a virgin, blessing the passing of one year to the next with Him,… pic.twitter.com/nKFQuNCDgh

— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) December 31, 2025

Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered for his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

Dec 31, 2025 / 08:08 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV used the Vatican’s final general audience of 2025 on Wednesday to invite Catholics to look back on the past year with gratitude and repentance, and to place what lies ahead in God’s hands.

In St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 31, the pope said 2025 brought both joy and sorrow, citing the jubilee pilgrimage of the faithful as well as “the passing of the late Pope Francis” and “the scenarios of war that continue to convulse the planet.”

“At its end,” Leo said, “the Church invites us to place everything before the Lord, entrusting ourselves to his providence, and asking him to renew, in us and around us, in the coming days, the wonders of his grace and mercy.”

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile to pilgrims gathered for his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

He tied that end-of-year spiritual “dynamic” to the Church’s Te Deum observance, saying the hymn of praise and thanksgiving helps believers recognize God’s gifts and renew hope. Leo noted that the prayer includes lines such as: “You are God: We praise you,” “In you, Lord, is our hope,” and “Have mercy on us.”

According to the Vatican’s published schedule, Leo was set to celebrate first vespers for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, at 5 p.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by the Te Deum.

In his catechesis, the pope encouraged an honest examination of conscience, calling the faithful to reflect on God’s action over the past year, to evaluate their response to his gifts, and to ask forgiveness for times they failed to follow his inspirations or invest well the talents entrusted to them.

Leo also returned to a core jubilee image, describing life as a pilgrimage. “This reminds us that our whole life is a journey,” he said, one that reaches its true fulfillment in “the encounter with God and in full and eternal communion with him.”

Pope Leo XIV greets a young pilgrim during his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

The pope pointed to another emblematic jubilee practice, the passage through the Holy Door, describing it as a concrete sign of conversion and of the believer’s yes to God, who “invites us to cross the threshold of a new life, animated by grace, modeled on the Gospel.”

Looking to Christmas, Leo recalled St. Leo the Great’s preaching on the universal joy of Christ’s birth: “Let the saint rejoice … let the sinner rejoice … let the pagan take courage.” The pope said that invitation extends to all, including those who feel weak or fragile, because Christ has taken human frailty upon himself and redeemed it.

To close, Leo cited St. Paul VI’s reflection at the end of the 1975 Jubilee, saying its core message can be summed up in a single word: “love.” He then repeated Paul VI’s emphatic profession of faith, including: “God is love! … God is mercy! God is forgiveness! … God, yes, God is life!”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Aerial view of St. Peter’s Square filled with thousands of mourners including clergy and dignitaries gathered for Pope Francis’ funeral Mass under a clear blue sky on April 26, 2025, in Vatican City. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Dec 30, 2025 / 15:56 pm (CNA).

During the year 2025, the participation of the faithful in audiences and liturgical celebrations at the Vatican reached a total of 3,176,620 people.

The Vatican released on Dec. 30 the attendance figures for liturgical celebrations in 2025, a year marked by the Jubilee of Hope, the death of Pope Francis, and the election in May of Pope Leo XIV.

Under the pontificate of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, a total attendance of 262,820 faithful was recorded. The largest crowds were at the Angelus, with 130,000 people, followed by the liturgical celebrations, which drew 62,000 faithful.

The general and jubilee audiences were attended by 60,500 people, while the total for special audiences was 10,320. The months with the highest attendance were January and February, especially for the Angelus and liturgical celebrations.

Pope Francis did not preside over any ceremonies or hold any meetings or audiences during the month of March due to his extended stay at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

For Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, which began on May 8, a total of 2,913,800 faithful attended various events. General and jubilee audiences had the greatest participation, drawing 1,069,000 people, followed by the Angelus, with 900,000 in attendance, and liturgical celebrations, which drew 796,500 faithful.

Special audiences brought together 148,300 people. The months with the highest attendance were September, October, and December, with October standing out for the large number of attendees at general audiences.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Credit: Zolnierek/Shutterstock

Dec 30, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV warned about the danger that gambling poses to many families during a Dec. 29 audience with members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.

At the beginning of his address, delivered in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, the Holy Father explained that “the incarnation of the Son of God brings us face to face with a child, whose gentle fragility is in stark contrast to the crushing power of King Herod.”

In this context, he emphasized that “the massacre of the innocents ordered by him not only represents a loss of a future for society but is also a manifestation of an inhuman power that does not know the beauty of love because it disregards the dignity of human life.”

On the contrary, the pope explained that the birth of the Lord “reveals the most authentic aspect of all power, which is above all responsibility and service,” and noted that all authority must “embody the virtues of humility, honesty, and communion.”

The pontiff thus alluded to the public commitment of the Italian association, reminding them of the importance of listening “as a social dynamic that activates these virtues,” specifically “to the needs of families and individuals, especially caring for the most vulnerable, for the good of all.”

Pope Leo XIV focused his attention on certain realities that require special attention, such as the difficulties faced by families and young people as well as the loneliness of the elderly and the “silent cry of the poor.”

In this regard, he emphasized that “our cities are not anonymous places but rather faces and stories that must be safeguarded like precious treasures.”

He also quoted Venerable Giorgio La Pira, known as “the holy mayor” of Florence, who maintained that his fundamental duty was to care for and alleviate anyone who was suffering. In this way, the pope stated that “social cohesion and civic harmony require, first and foremost, listening to the least among us and the poor.”

He then urged the members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities to “become models of dedication to the common good, fostering a social alliance for hope.”

Problem of gambling addiction

After lamenting that cities are experiencing forms of marginalization, violence, and loneliness “that demand to be addressed,” Pope Leo specifically warned against gambling, “which ruins many families.” Citing the latest report from Caritas Italy, he emphasized that this type of gambling addiction is a “serious problem of education, mental health, and social trust.”

“We cannot forget other forms of loneliness from which many people suffer: mental disorders, depression, cultural and spiritual poverty, and social abandonment. These are signs that indicate how much hope is needed. To bear witness to it effectively, politics is called to forge authentically human relationships among citizens, promoting social peace,” the pontiff said.

He also urged that administrative activity promote “the talents of individuals, giving cultural and spiritual depth to cities.”

At the end of his address, he asked the members of the association to have “the courage to offer hope to the people, planning together the best future for their lands, in the logic of integral human development.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.