The extraordinary influx of pilgrims to Rome continues in the summer of 2025 for the Ordinary Jubilee, which sees volunteers from the Order of Malta providing assistance in St. Peter’s Square and the papal basilicas.

With a total of around 2000 volunteers from over 20 countries around the world, every week 32 volunteers (8 groups of 4 volunteers: 1 doctor, 1 nurse/paramedic and 2 assistants) are offering their services, in addition to the around 80 regular volunteers of the First Aid Post in St. Peter’s Square, which for 75 years has been offering medical assistance to pilgrims 365 days a year and represents the centre of operations for the other Basilicas as well.

Philipp Siedentopf, who has already been Coordinator of the Swiss Volunteers in the Jubilee 2015-2016 and in the Jubilee 2025, recounted his own experience, which was also published in summary by the Corriere della Sera on 20 December 2024.

How long have you been volunteering and how did you get started?

I have been a volunteer since 1987, starting at the age of 11 when I took on my first small ambulance duties with the Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V. in Germany, and later as a youth group leader. Over the years, I grew into roles of increasing responsibility, including first aid services, disaster relief and coordinating international teams. My journey began at a very early age as my brother and I were exemplified the values of the Order of Malta on a daily basis at home. My mother is also a member of the Order of Malta, and my father was a member of the Protestant brother order, the Order of St. John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg). So, I grew up with a desire to serve others, inspired by the values of the Order of Malta, and it has remained a central part of my life ever since.

Do you have any memories, any special stories of someone you assisted?

One moment that particularly stuck in my mind was during my time in L’Aquila, Italy, after the 2009 earthquake. As coordinator and leader of a Swiss disaster relief team with Malteser International, the Order of Malta’s international humanitarian aid organization, I witnessed how small acts of kindness – such as offering medical help or simply listening to a person’s story – had a profound impact. I particularly remember building shade nets over the tent of an elderly lady in Campo Poggio di Roio. That summer the temperature was over 40 degrees. The lady had lost everything in the earthquake and was very relieved when she saw how we were able to make her everyday life easier through this small gesture, bringing her not only physical relief but also hope in a difficult time. It was a humbling experience that made us realize the importance of our mission: to help with compassion and dignity.

What do you expect from volunteering in this Jubilee? How will it be different from your normal activity?

This mission of the Order of Malta during the Jubilee offers a unique opportunity to put faith into action on a global scale. Unlike regular activities, this service will focus on assisting countless pilgrims in a deeply spiritual and emotionally charged environment. It is a great honor that the Vatican requests the Order of Malta’s assistance in caring for pilgrims during each Holy Year. This year, the Holy Father is counting on us once again, and we are proud to be able to provide this service for him. We from Switzerland alone are sending 17 teams to support this mission. The teams’ service in the most important Vatican basilicas means not only meeting medical needs but also offering a reassuring presence to those seeking comfort. I expect this experience to highlight the universal values of solidarity and service, reflecting the core motto of the Order of Malta: Tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum – protection of the faith and service to the poor.