On Sunday, December 28, 2025, at Our Lady of Graces Latin Catholic Church in Larnaca, and in conjunction with the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Family throughout the universal Church, the Catholic Church in Cyprus, pastors and faithful alike, gathered to conclude the Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by Pope Francis under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”
The celebration began with personal testimonies and lived experiences of hope shared by individuals who had encountered hope amid various challenges. This was followed by an hour of Eucharistic Adoration, which concluded with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, in an atmosphere of prayer and deep reflection.
Subsequently, His Excellency Bishop Bruno Varriano, Patriarchal Vicar of the Latins in Cyprus, presided over a solemn celebratory Mass, with the presence and participation of His Excellency Bishop Salim Sfeir, Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, together with a number of priests and a large gathering of faithful from various parishes.
In his homily, Bishop Varriano emphasized that the Jubilee Year was not an endpoint, but rather a renewed call to move forward with trust and hope. He underlined that the Church is called to keep her doors always open, bearing witness to hope and carrying the message of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation in a world wounded by suffering.
He pointed out that Christian hope is rooted in trust in God’s faithfulness, who never abandons His Church, and he encouraged the faithful not to remain bound to the past but to walk confidently toward the future, guided by the light of the Gospel.
The Bishop also reflected on the importance of the family in the life of the Church, describing it as the fundamental cell for transmitting the faith, despite the many challenges it faces today, particularly in communication, education, and care for the elderly. He recalled the example of the Holy Family, who experienced exile and refuge, yet remained firmly anchored in hope and trust in God.
He further highlighted the vital role of young people, stressing that they are not only the future of the Church but also her present, and called for their active involvement and for granting them space and responsibility within ecclesial life.
Bishop Varriano also stressed that the Church in Cyprus, in her Latin and Maronite diversity, is called to walk together as one family, proclaiming that peace is possible, that mercy is stronger than evil, and that hope is stronger than despair.
Bishop Varriano concluded his homily with the following prayer, saying:
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where selfishness prevails, let us bring love.
Where there is violence, let us bring tolerance.
Where there is revenge, let us bring reconciliation.
Where there is despair, let us bring hope.
Where there is sadness, let us bring joy.
Teach our families not to cling to material things.
but rather to share and to give,
for there is more joy in giving than in receiving,
more joy in forgiving than in condemning,
and more joy in serving than in dominating. May our Church continue,
today and always,
to be a Church of hope.
