The first officially recognized pilgrimage of LGBTQ Catholics to Rome comes as gay Catholics look to Pope Leo XIV to continue down the bold path of his predecessor to welcome into the church a group that has in the past faced alienation and sometimes harsh treatment.

Several LGBTQ groups participated in the pilgrimage to the Vatican for the Jubilee Year, the once-every-quarter century celebration of Catholicism.

Bishop Francesco Savino celebrated Mass at the Church of the Gesù on Saturday for LGBT pilgrims in Rome for the Jubilee of Hope.