Pope Francis is calling on wealthy countries and institutions to substantially reduce if not outright cancel debt as a matter of justice on the occasion of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee Year.

In the year 2000, then-Pope John Paul II appealed to leaders of wealthy nations, asking them to forgive the debt of poorer countries in the spirit of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee year — a time the church sets aside for forgiveness of sins and debt.

Pope Francis has called on all nations to eliminate the death penalty, to divert a fixed percentage of arms spending to a global fund to fight hunger and climate change, and to cancel the international debt of developing nations.

Pope Francis has issued an urgent appeal to wealthier nations to drastically reduce or eliminate poorer countries' debts, framing it as a question of justice. As the Vatican's 2025 Jubilee Year approaches,

Pope Francis on Thursday released his message for the 58th World Day of Peace, commemorated annually on Jan. 1, with three concrete proposals.

Pope Francis has written a letter to families, parishes and religious communities in the Diocese of Rome urging them to host young pilgrims during events for youth and adolescents during the upcoming Jubilee of Hope.

Pope Francis on Dec. 12 called for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, the alleviation of foreign debt and the creation of a new global fund to eradicate hunger and combat climate change.

Pope Francis urged wealthy nations to substantially reduce or cancel debt as part of justice for the 2025 Jubilee Year. Citing St. John Paul II, he emphasized the need for a new financial framework centered on solidarity,

Pope Francis called for debt relief for the poor countries of the South of the globe and the universal abolition of the death penalty in his message for World Peace Day 2025, which takes place on January 1.