By Joseph Tulloch
March 4, 2025
Vatican City—Pope Francis has selected the theme “Migrants, Missionaries of Hope” for the 2025 World Day of Migrants and Refugees, underscoring the role of displaced people in spreading hope and faith in their new communities.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced the theme on Monday, highlighting that the event will take place on October 4-5 as part of the Jubilee of Migrants and the Missionary World.
Migrants as Witnesses of Hope
According to the Dicastery’s statement, the celebration will serve as an opportunity to recognize “the courage and tenacity of migrants and refugees, who bear daily witness to hope in the future.”
The statement further emphasized that migrants “become ‘missionaries of hope’ in the communities where they are welcomed, often contributing to revitalizing their faith and promoting interreligious dialogue based on common values. They remind the Church of the ultimate goal of this earthly pilgrimage—the attainment of our future homeland.”
A Long-Standing Tradition
The World Day of Migrants and Refugees was established in 1914 and has since provided Catholics worldwide an occasion to remember and pray for those displaced by war, persecution, and economic hardships. Pope Francis has frequently spoken about the dignity and contributions of migrants, urging nations to offer hospitality and support to those seeking safety and a better life.
This year’s theme aligns with the broader focus of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year 2025, which calls for renewal, hope, and spiritual reflection.
Sources: Vatican News, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
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