India: Telugu Church holds Jubilee 2025 Celebration, rekindles hope and faith in Christ

The Telugu Catholic Bishops’ Council (TCBC)of India under the leadership of Cardinal Poola Anthony, Archbishop of Hyderabad, opened its two-day Jubilee 2025 celebration at St. John’s Regional Seminary, Ramanthapur, Hyderabad, from October 21–22, 2025.

Held in response to Pope Francis’s proclamation of 2025 as a Jubilee Year, the event gathered around 1,500 delegates—bishops, priests, religious, and lay faithful, from the dioceses of Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, Kurnool, Kadapa, Adilabad, and Shamshabad.

The celebration began with a solemn Eucharistic Mass presided over by Cardinal Poola, joined by bishops from across the province, including Most Rev. Sagili Prakash (Khammam), Most Rev. Karanam Dhaman Kumar (Nalgonda), Most Rev. Saginala Paul Prakash (Kadapa), Most Rev. Gorantla Johannes, OCD (Kurnool), Most Rev. Polimera Jayarao (Eluru), Most Rev. Pili Anthony (Nellore), and Fr. Vijay Paul Reddy, Administrator of Warangal, along with more than 150 priests.

In his sermon, Cardinal Poola recalled that the Jubilee, celebrated every 25 years, is a sacred time of grace, reconciliation, and renewal. Rooted in Scripture, it invites believers to reconcile with God, with one another, and with creation. He reminded the faithful that “the Cross signifies suffering, but the Resurrection proclaims victory,” encouraging them to remain steadfast in hope.

Quoting Pope Francis’ reflections on “Dilexit Nos” (“He has loved us”), Cardinal Poola highlighted the Church’s call to uphold the dignity of every person, especially the poor and the suffering. He also urged the youth to become “witnesses of Christ” in a world marked by war, migration, and inequality.

Bishop Dhaman Kumar, who introduced the Jubilee theme “Hope Will Not Disappoint,” invoked the Holy Spirit to bless the gathering, emphasizing that hope must lead to active faith and service.

A symbolic gesture of reverence was made as Cardinal Poola offered a garland to the Jubilee Cross, marking the official opening of the regional Jubilee celebrations. The conferences and prayer sessions that followed focused on gratitude, peace, and solidarity, echoing the Pope’s call for an inclusive Church where everyone finds belonging and acceptance.