Pilgrims of Hope is the theme for the Holy Year 2025 – an invitation to believers from all over the world. To go together on a spiritual journey to strengthen faith, hope, love and humanity.

Pilgrimage is not just a physical journey with painful experiences on the feet and in the muscles, but also an inner journey, a search for meaning, hope and spirituality. Some people ask themselves: What sustains me in life? And so the path can become a symbol for the journey of life. Pilgrims set out, leave burdens behind and open themselves to new perspectives.

On the way of pilgrimage, pilgrims encounter churches with their bells. Bells have always been an acoustic sign that calls people to prayer, and also to worship. For pilgrims in the Holy Year, they will be a motif of hope and a sound of encouragement to find their own way. Why do I mention the bells? The bells with the leitmotif, specially made in the papal bell foundry Marinelli in Agnone, are a gift from the Pope and are intended to call for community and spiritual awakening: set out on the path of hope, faith, love and humanity.

For me, hope is the strength that drives people to look ahead despite uncertainty and adversity. For me, hope means trusting in God's love for all people. In this Holy Year, this hope is to be felt through community, reconciliation and the commitment to the dignity of all people.

The Ecumenical Pilgrimage Initiative Vorpommern connects believers of different denominations and invites them to walk the path together. The focus is not only on spiritual topics, but also on the exchange and solidarity between people. Pilgrimage connects across religious boundaries and creates awareness of shared values such as respect, dignity and hope.

Rolf Knoblauch sums this up in his commitment to human dignity: “Human dignity is inviolable.” This statement reminds us that every person, regardless of origin, status or religion, is unique and valuable. Every person is a child of God and, in my view, deserves respect, love and justice.

Another important aspect of the Holy Year 2025 is worldwide solidarity. The Africa Circle in the St. Bernhard parish in Stralsund is committed to projects on the African continent. The aim is to give people a perspective, to strengthen their dignity and to give them hope for a better life. The group will actively participate in the 2025 tourism ministry. The topic of inviolable dignity will also be central here: every person, regardless of their country or culture, has the same dignity and is part of the global community.

The Holy Year invites us all to be pilgrims of hope. Let us pause, reflect on what is essential, and recognize the value of every human being. We are all royal children, inviolable in our dignity. May hope guide us in our ways – in the small as well as the big things, locally as well as globally.