During the days of the Jubilee of Youth in Rome, the MAGIS network of the Euro-Mediterranean Province (EUM) became the heart of Ignatian hospitality for thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. This extraordinary experience of hospitality and fraternal encounter once again demonstrated the universal spirit of the Ignatian family.

The success of this initiative was made possible by the joint efforts of some 100 volunteers from the four countries that make up the Euro-Mediterranean Province: Italy, Romania, Albania, and Malta, joined by numerous Jesuits in formation from the International College of the Gesù. These young people placed themselves at the service of their fellow pilgrims, offering not only concrete help but also a living witness to the Ignatian vocation to service.

Three churches as meeting places

The program of activities took place mainly in three emblematic Jesuit churches in the historic center of Rome:the Church of the Gesù, the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola, and St Andrew's at the Quirinale. These sacred spaces, steeped in Ignatian history, became points of reference for the young pilgrims during their stay in the Eternal City.

In addition to the churches, the current Instituto Quirino Visconti (formerly the Roman College of the Society of Jesus),located in the square behind the Church of St Ignatius, served as the nerve center of Ignatian hospitality. There, the young people found a place to meet, get information, rest, and receive basic services, becoming the reference point for the entire Ignatian community during the Jubilee.

The meeting with Father General

One of the most significant moments of these days was the meeting with the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, which took place on the morning of July 31 in the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola, coinciding with the feast of the holy founder.

During this meeting, the young people had the opportunity to dialogue directly with Fr Sosa on central themes of Ignatian spirituality and its application in the contemporary world. The questions revolved around one's own vocation, the transition between the phases of study and work, the role of young people in social transformation, and the importance of discernment in life decisions.

The meeting culminated with a deeply meaningful invitation from the Superior General to the young people present: he urged them to live “as they want the rest of the world to live”. This phrase, which sums up the spirit of the Ignatian magis, resonated as a call to coherence and authentic witness, inviting each young person to be a protagonist of the change they want to see in the world.

A program open to all

A distinctive feature of the program organized by MAGIS EUM was its universal openness. Although designed especially in the Ignatian spirit, all activities in the churches and adjacentworkshop rooms were open to any pilgrim who came to Rome during the Jubilee, thus manifesting the inclusive and apostolic spirit of the Ignatian tradition.

This openness allowed young people from different backgrounds to participate in the formative, celebratory, and encounter activities, creating an atmosphere of intercultural dialogue that enriched the experience of all participants.

There was opportunity to talk about the life of St Ignatius, political engagement, the Church and synodality, integral ecology, how to get to knowoneselfbetter, and much more. The combination of art and spirituality also had a very important presence, with several concerts and some theatrical performances, as well as ongoing visits to churches animated by the Pietre Vive group.

An international celebration

The international diversity of the participants was evident during the special celebration that took place in the Visconti courtyard on the evening of July 31. Ignatian groups from France, Spain, Portugal, the United States, Lebanon, Peru, Chile, a delegation from the Christian Life Communities (CVX), Croatia, Uruguay, the United Kingdom, and others gathered to share a moment of fraternity and joy.

This celebration has become the perfect symbol of the universality of the Ignatian family: young people from different continents, cultures, and languages united by the same spirituality and the same desire to serve the world based on the values of the Gospel.

Beyond the Ignatian program

From August 1 to 3, these young volunteers had the opportunity to continue living the Jubilee as part of the general program. August 1^st was dedicated to reconciliation and penance. On August 2ⁿd, the young people left for Tor Vergata to experience the prayer vigil with the Holy Father. There they slept as part of the universal Church, united with hundreds of thousands of young people with whom they woke up on August 3^rd to participate in Holy Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV.

The MAGIS EUM experience during the 2025 Youth Jubilee has shown that, beyond geographical and cultural differences, there is a deep communion among those who share the Ignatian spirituality. The more than 1,600 young people who passed through Rome brought with them not only memories of the monuments and beauty of the Eternal City, but also the living testimony of a young, welcoming Church committed to the transformation of the world.