As Rome prepares for the Jubilee for Tourism, attention has turned to the role of tour guides and operators who serve millions of visitors during the Holy Year. In remarks shared ahead of the event, veteran Roman tour guide Elizabeth Lev described the tourism workforce as a vital bridge between history, culture, and spirituality. The Jubilee for Tourism brings together guides, organizers, and hospitality workers for a collective pilgrimage that includes prayer, procession, and passage through the Holy Door. This gathering reflects recognition by Vatican institutions that tourism professionals play an essential role in shaping how pilgrims encounter the city and its religious heritage. For many visitors, guides are the first point of contact with Rome and the Vatican, carrying responsibility not only for logistics but also for interpretation, reassurance, and cultural understanding during moments of personal and spiritual significance.
Lev emphasized that guiding during a Jubilee year extends beyond providing historical facts or managing itineraries. Pilgrims often arrive in Rome in a state of vulnerability, seeking renewal, prayer, or consolation, and guides are tasked with responding to those needs with empathy and care. She noted that tour guides and managers act as intermediaries who help visitors navigate complex environments while maintaining focus on the spiritual purpose of their journey. This responsibility is heightened during large scale events when crowds, security measures, and infrastructure pressures can challenge the overall experience. By accompanying pilgrims through these conditions, guides help preserve a sense of meaning and calm. The Jubilee pilgrimage for tourism workers offers them a moment to reflect on their own role and to participate collectively in the spiritual rhythm they support throughout the year.
The Jubilee also underscores the mutual responsibility between tourism professionals and the sites entrusted to them. Lev highlighted the importance of safeguarding Rome’s religious and historical locations while presenting them in ways that respect both their significance and the people who visit them. The event allows guides to step briefly out of their professional role and enter the Jubilee as pilgrims themselves, sharing a communal experience shaped by faith, work, and identity. This transition reflects a broader Vatican perspective that views cultural engagement and pilgrimage as interconnected. By acknowledging tourism workers within the Jubilee framework, Vatican authorities signal that hospitality, interpretation, and care for visitors are integral to the Church’s global presence during a year defined by movement, encounter, and reflection.
