The Italian naval ship "Amerigo Vespucci," currently completing its global tour, has been designated a Jubilee church for the Holy Year 2025, transforming its onboard chapel into a pilgrimage destination at sea. The ship, a three-masted sailing ship that dates back to 1931 and is named after the 15th-century Italian explorer for whom "America" is named, has been touring the world as a cultural ambassador for Italy since July 2023.
Archbishop Santo Marcianò of the Military Ordinariate of Italy officially designated the ship’s chapel as a Jubilee church for 2025, according to a Jan. 9 statement from the ship’s press office. The chapel onboard the "Amerigo Vespucci" will be a Jubilee site "for sacred pilgrimages and for pious visits among its missions at sea," the statement said.
