Jubilee 2025, the Regional Council approves the Matera motion

On Monday 23 September the Regional Council of Campania unanimously approved the motion presented by councilor Corrado Materaleader of the Mixed Group, regarding the regional initiatives to be implemented in view of the celebrations of Jubilee of the Catholic Church 2025. The motion is part of a framework already initiated by the Regional Council (with Resolution no. 147 of 3 April 2024), which established an institutional collaboration with the Archdiocese of Napoli for the valorization of ecclesiastical assets and for their networking, encouraging a renewed protagonism of the younger generations. The Matera motion aims to extend this collaboration to all the dioceses of Campania, creating a widespread valorization network throughout the regional territory.

Promote religious and cultural heritage

A recent study published by the Episcopal Conference has shown that, of the 32 million pilgrims that will be hosted in Italy on the occasion of the next Jubilee, over 4 million they are expected in Campania to visit the places of pilgrimage. «The Jubilee 2025 – Corrado Matera underlines – represents a unique opportunity for our territory: Campania, with its places of worship of international importance, will be one of the main destinations for the millions of pilgrims expected from all over the world. The approval of this motion strengthens the current strategy that not only promotes our ecclesiastical assets, but also aims to create new opportunities for tourism and social development, especially in internal areas».

Contents and Objectives of the Motion

The motion commits the Regional Council to collaborate with all the Dioceses of Campania to implement a valorization model that involves ecclesiastical assets, parishes and oratories, in order to guarantee the best welcome to the expected pilgrims. «The Jubilee is not just a religious event – explains Matera – but a great opportunity to promote tourism, which can help strengthen the economy of our communities, especially those in the internal areas. We will continue to work for the enhancement of the Campania region and for the promotion of religious tourism, so that our religious paths, such as the Cammino delle Certose, become increasingly established at a national and international level».

The role of parishes and oratories as centers of social aggregation

Particular attention was paid to the socio-cultural function of parishes and oratories, which, as highlighted by Matera during the discussion on the motion, represent fundamental strongholds for social cohesion and urban regeneration: «Parishes and Oratories – highlights the regional councilor leader of the Mixed Group – splay a key role, not only from a religious point of view, but also as centers of social aggregation, education and support for the weakest sections of the population. In view of the Jubilee we will have to strengthen these realities, so that they are ready to welcome and involve pilgrims and tourists, offering them not only hospitality, but also experiences of cultural and spiritual growth».

Innovation and accessibility: a Jubilee projected towards the future

The motion also includes the inclusion of new technologies to improve accessibility and enjoyment of places of worship and tourist interest, in order to make Campania a model of innovative hospitality. “We must not limit ourselves – explains Matera – to restore and conserve our heritage, but we must project these places into the future, using digital tools that can improve the visitor experience».

The initiative of Regional Councilor Corrado Matera promotes a series of concrete actions with the aim of making the Jubilee 2025 an event of growth and development for the whole of Campania.