Pope Francis, marking the Holy Year of the Catholic Church on Thursday, opened the symbolic Holy Door at a prison in Rome, offering a message of hope and forgiveness to inmates. The 88-year-old Catholic pontiff told the prisoners during the ceremony not to lose hope.

Pope Francis will open the Holy Year of the Catholic Church in St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday evening. In a solemn ceremony on Christmas Eve, the 88-year-old pontiff will open the Holy Door, which is otherwise walled up from the inside,

Rome — Pope Francis inaugurated his Holy Year at Rome’s main prison on Thursday, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church’s once every quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome.