The Archbishop of Valencia, Enrique Benavent, presided on Thursday, October 29, at the Cathedral over the closing Mass of the III Eucharistic Jubilee Year of the Holy Chalice, a celebration that coincided with the liturgical feast of the relic and brought to an end a year of pilgrimages and religious activities centered on the Eucharist. During the homily, the prelate recalled that “Valencia is the city of the Holy Chalice” and emphasized that, although the jubilee has concluded, “the Holy Chalice remains among us.”
The celebration brought together bishops, members of the metropolitan chapter, priests, deacons, and numerous faithful. Also in attendance were representatives of the Valencia City Council and the Valencian Regional Government, military and academic authorities, as well as members of the Royal Brotherhood of the Holy Chalice of the Lord’s Supper, the Confraternity of the Holy Chalice, and other associations linked to the relic.
The III Eucharistic Jubilee Year has centered on the veneration of the Holy Chalice, preserved in Valencia Cathedral and traditionally identified with the cup used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper.
Benavent invites the faithful to live gratitude, communion, and hope
In his homily, reported by the Archdiocese of Valencia, Monsignor Benavent proposed three attitudes to conclude the jubilee year: gratitude, communion, and hope.
The archbishop invited the faithful to give thanks to God for the spiritual fruits of this time and to keep ecclesial communion alive beyond the extraordinary celebrations.
Referring to Christian hope, he recalled the victims of the train accident that occurred on October 28 in the province of Toledo and those who lost their lives during the floods caused by the October 2024 DANA storm.
Benavent noted that the memory of these tragedies should be lived “not with resentment, but with hope,” placing the remembrance of the victims within the horizon of Christian faith.
During the celebration, he also congratulated the parishes marking anniversaries this year and extended a special greeting to the communities of Albal and Paiporta, two of the Valencian towns severely affected by the DANA two years ago.
At the end of the Mass, the mayor of Valencia and the City Council received a replica of the Holy Chalice in recognition of their collaboration in the preparation and development of the jubilee year.
More than 550,000 visitors and 167 organized pilgrimages
The results of the III Eucharistic Jubilee Year had been presented on October 20 in a joint event of the Archdiocese and the Valencia City Council.
According to the figures then shared by Auxiliary Bishop Fernando Ramón, more than 550,000 people had visited the Cathedral since January, while 167 organized pilgrimages had been recorded, with at least eight more scheduled until the closing day.
According to information published by El Debate, 57 % of those pilgrimages came from the Valencian Community. The rest arrived from other Spanish regions and from countries on three continents.
These figures reflect the participation recorded during the jubilee year, although the total number of visitors to the Cathedral does not necessarily equate to the number of pilgrims who came specifically for religious reasons.
A eucharistic vigil and various activities to close the jubilee
The closing events began the previous week with a concert held in Valencia Cathedral.
On Saturday, October 24, a eucharistic vigil took place in Plaza de la Virgen, which included a brief procession with the monstrance into the church.
The program also featured the performance of the musical Las aventuras del Santo Grial and a concert by the group Hakuna in Plaza de la Reina, among the activities organized to bring the celebration to different audiences.
The Mass presided over by Benavent on October 29 constituted the central liturgical act of the closing, coinciding with the feast of the Holy Chalice.
The next Jubilee Year of the Holy Chalice will be in 2030
The celebration of the Eucharistic Jubilee Year of the Holy Chalice is held every five years, so the next edition is scheduled for 2030.
This jubilee is celebrated by virtue of the privilege granted by Pope Francis in 2014, which allowed Valencia to organize a eucharistic holy year every five years around the relic preserved in its Cathedral.
The 2025-2026 edition has been held under the theme of hope and has brought together liturgical celebrations, pilgrimages, cultural activities, and formation gatherings.
In his farewell, Benavent recalled that the conclusion of the jubilee calendar does not mean the end of the eucharistic life that has inspired the celebrations. The Holy Chalice will continue to be kept in the Cathedral, where it remains one of the principal references of Valencian religious tradition.