Rome to Showcase "Made in Prison" Tote Bags for Jubilee 2025

Rome, November 29, 2024: Pope Francis will open a Holy Door at the Rebibbia prison in Rome on December 26, marking a historic moment in the Jubilee Year as a symbol of forgiveness and restoration. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, emphasized that this gesture represents "all the prisons in the world" and highlights the significance of the Jubilee as a time for healing and reconciliation. In support of this message, a special line of "Made in Prison" tote bags will be unveiled, crafted by female inmates as part of a vocational training program designed to equip them with skills for reintegration into society and the workforce.

These tote bags, made from recycled materials, will carry the distinctive “Made in Prison” tag and serve as a powerful reminder of hope and dignity. Produced in cooperation with a social cooperative, the initiative aims to restore the self-worth of prisoners, providing them with technical skills and a sense of purpose. The bags will be sold at the official Jubilee 2025 information point in Rome, with proceeds benefiting the incarcerated women involved in the project. The materials used in the bags include fabrics and objects recycled from items created for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016, adding a layer of historical significance.

This initiative is part of the "Signs of Hope" series, launched to support vulnerable and marginalized groups, as outlined by Pope Francis in his Jubilee Bull Spes non Confundit. In a gesture of solidarity with the imprisoned, the Pope’s opening of the Holy Door at Rebibbia will invite inmates to look to the future with renewed hope and commitment to life, marking a new chapter in their journey towards rehabilitation.

Courtesy: Vatican News