ROME (CNS) -- Seven months before the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, a Vatican official opened the doors to the official Jubilee 2025 pilgrim's shop just a few feet from the official pilgrimage route.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization's section for new evangelization and the chief organizer of the Holy Year 2025, cut a green ribbon May 27 and opened the shop on Via della Traspontina, not far from the main boulevard leading to St. Peter's Square.
The Jubilee kicks off Dec. 24, but the licensed manufacturing of pilgrim packs and tourist trinkets already has begun.
"We can say that we are already in the midst of the Jubilee, even though there are still more than 200 days until the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica," the Jubilee website quoted Archbishop Fisichella as saying. "This is the time of waiting, which is always the most difficult, but when the pilgrims begin to arrive the anticipation will turn into enthusiasm."
The archbishop said he hoped the store would be "an authentic sign of welcome" and would respond to the desire of pilgrims "to be recognized as such."
In early January, Archbishop Fisichella announced that Stegip4, a Rome-based merchandising company, was selected to design, produce and market the "Pilgrim's Backpack" -- containing a wide-brimmed hat, a scarf, an aluminum water bottle, rain poncho and a wrist rosary -- after an international call for bids. Stegip4 owns the newly opened store.
The store sells the full backpacks as well as each of its components separately. It also has priests' vestments -- chasubles and stoles -- with the Jubilee logo, T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, rosaries, key chains, magnets, mugs, candles, baseball caps and teddy bears decked out in pilgrim's gear.
Through the store's website -- www.jubileeofficialstore.com -- a diocese, parish or organization sponsoring a pilgrimage to Rome during the Holy Year can order the T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts customized with their group name or logo.
