Vatican Announces Theme for Fifth World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly

Vatican City, February 5, 2025: The Catholic Church will observe the fifth World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly on July 27, 2025, with the theme "Blessed are those who have not lost hope," the Vatican announced in a statement on February 4. The theme, drawn from the Book of Sirach, expresses "the blessedness of the elderly and points to the hope placed in the Lord as the way to a Christian and reconciled old age," the statement added.

Established by Pope Francis in 2021, the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly aims to honour the elderly and their role in families and communities. Pope Francis set the date of the annual event on the fourth Sunday of July, near the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anna, the grandparents of Jesus.

Particularly during the Holy Year 2025, the annual event "seeks to be an opportunity to reflect on how the presence of grandparents and elderly people can become a sign of hope in every family and ecclesial community," the Vatican statement said. The motto for the current Jubilee, selected by Pope Francis, is "Pilgrims of Hope."

The Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, which organizes the world day, invites every diocese to organize local celebrations for World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly on July 27, "promoting visits and occasions for encounter between generations," the statement added.

Last year, the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican court charged with granting indulgences, announced that grandparents, the elderly, and all the faithful who attend Mass or other prayer services as part of the day's celebration could receive a plenary indulgence.

Additionally, the indulgence could apply to those who "devote adequate time to actually or virtually visiting their elderly brothers and sisters in need or in difficulty," such as those who are sick, lonely, or disabled, the Vatican said.

As the Catholic Church prepares for the observance, the Vatican's call to recognize the value of elderly individuals resonates with Pope Francis’ consistent advocacy. “The elderly are not leftovers from life; they are living signs of God's presence,” he has said in past addresses. This year’s theme further reinforces the pope’s vision of ageing as a time of faith, wisdom, and hope.

Courtesy: Vatican