Pope Francis urged inmates to never give up hope as he inaugurated the Vatican’s Jubilee Year at the high-security Rebibbia prison on the outskirts of Rome on Thursday.

"I wanted all of us, inside or out, to have an opportunity to throw open the doors of our hearts and understand that hope does not disappoint."

Pope Francis has opened a "Holy Door" for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year at a prison in Rome, bringing a message of hope to inmates and involving them in the Catholic Church's once-every-quarter-century celebration that is expected to bring about 32 million pilgrims to the city.