Solangie De La Cruz, a parishioner of St. Elizabeth Church in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan, was among 500,000 young people from throughout the world who attended the 2025 Jubilee of Youth gathering in Rome. The event, which included gatherings led by Pope Leo XIV, was held July 28 to August 3; its theme was “Missionary Witnesses of Hope.”      

“My experience at the Jubilee was incredible – seeing so many young people from different countries and of different languages gather in one place to praise God,” De La Cruz, 25, told The Good Newsroom days after the massive sacred gathering.                     

“Seeing all these young people gathered, joyfully following Jesus, encourages me to continue working for the spiritual growth of the young people in my community; to bring that light and be an example of God’s love to others,” she added, noting the joy of the journey despite rainy weather at times in Rome.     

De La Cruz was part of a group of more than 50 pilgrims from St. Elizabeth who traveled to the Jubilee gathering. The St. Elizabeth group was led by the pastor, Father Ambiorix Rodriguez.

“The Church invited all youth and young adults to celebrate the Jubilee of Young People in 2025, to which 500,000 participated during the week and over 1 million attended the final Mass with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. This special moment during the Holy Year was an opportunity for young people to journey to Rome and celebrate stateside for experiences of transformation and hope,” said the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).

“During that week, youth and young adults from around the world came to the Eternal City for a pilgrimage experience of a lifetime,” the USCCB added.

Over 4,000 youth and young adults across the United States attended the National U.S. Pilgrim Gathering during the Jubilee of Young People on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome and sponsored by the USCCB.

The program included prayer, worship, and catechesis, as well as opportunities to walk through the Basilica’s holy door.

“Participating in the Jubilee 2025 was an unforgettable spiritual journey. Surrounded by people from all over the world, I experienced the universality of the Catholic Church in a powerful way,” Krismely Garcia, youth ministry coordinator at St. Elizabeth Church, told The Good Newsroom.

“Walking through the Holy Doors, praying at the major basilicas, and joining others in moments of silence, celebration, and the Eucharist made me feel deeply connected to my faith and to the mission of hope. My visit to Blessed Carlo Acutis (tomb in Assisi) and learning about his deep devotion to the Eucharist was an incredible and moving experience, one that I look forward to sharing with the youth in my community,” Garcia added.

She said the pilgrimage wasn’t just a trip, “it was a moment of renewal, reflection, and encounter. I return home grateful, inspired, and filled with peace, ready to continue walking with Christ and serving others with joy.”

In the closing Mass on Sunday, August 3, Pope Leo XIV told the young pilgrims, “Let us remain united to Him, let us remain in His friendship, always, cultivating it through prayer, adoration, Eucharistic Communion, frequent Confession, and generous charity, following the examples of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis who will soon be declared saints.”