The Pilgrims' rest
After the journey, a shared table.
We invite pilgrims, companions, and friends to rest together, break bread, and celebrate the path we have walked together.
The Pilgrims’ Rest is the offer of a shared table on the occasion of the Jubilee pilgrimage of LGBT+ people “Pellegrinaggio de La Tenda di Gionata e altre associazioni”.
It is a space of rest after a day full of prayer and emotions, an occasion for, refreshment and encounter: to pause, eat, talk, and be together after the walk to the Porta Santa.
In the heart of Rome, the Pilgrims’ Rest offers a space of nourishment, encounter, and renewed commitment. A sign: that communion continues beyond the pilgrimage, and welcome must be made concrete, generous, and festive.
To participate, we ask a small contribution to cover the costs of food and drinks. If you can, we invite you to offer more. Your generosity will help us support those who could not afford to pay, and make room for others.
Resting
After the walk, a pause. From 18:00 to 23:00 on September 6, at the Chiesa di San Paolo dentro le Mura, we gather to relax and socialise in the company of our fellow pilgrims.
The neo-Gothic church, with its mosaic-lit nave and quiet garden, will host an evening of food, drinks, and open conversation. No speeches, no stage—just a table of welcome, shared among those who walked together.
People will come and go, rest, meet new faces, reconnect with old ones. A quiet space for prayer will be available throughout, for those who seek it. This is not an ending, but a threshold.
Our friends
This event is organized by us, the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics, for you. It is supported by La Tenda di Gionata, but you don’t need to belong to any GNRC member group to join. Register while places remain—our table is for old friends and new. It is a kinship of those who believed, walked and arrived.
Participant
Includes food and beverages
Supporter
Helps pay towards volunteer expenses. You’ll receive a special “thank you” card at the event.
Believer
Supports the welcome of many.
You’ll receive the thank you card and be named among the event’s supporters on our website (if you wish)
Hero
You can help GNRC to help! You will receiveive all the before mentioned and a mention as “Patron of the Pilgrims’ Rest”.
Tickets are limited and going fast — don’t miss your chance to be part of the table.
Want to support further?
Consider making a donation.
One, hundred, a thousand or more; your support will help us help more.
But why a registration fee?
To host this moment of welcome, we must cover the real costs of food, drinks, and the use of a beautiful and central space. Pilgrims need to eat, and many wish to stay together after the walk—this gathering makes that possible. A basic contribution helps us meet these needs; additional donations allow us to include more people and build more moments like this.
Programs
Info
The location
Chiesa di San Paolo dentro le Mura is an Anglican church in the heart of Rome, just steps from Via Nazionale. With its striking neo-Gothic architecture, Byzantine-style mosaics, and quiet inner courtyard, it offers both beauty and calm. A space long known for hospitality and dialogue, it becomes for one evening the home of the Pilgrims’ Rest.
The menu
The evening will offer a generous spread of savory and sweet bites: freshly baked mini croissants, gourmet sandwiches, puff pastry pizzette, canapés, and skewers with cheese and cold cuts. Alongside these, fruit and pastry mignons will complete the table.
The drinks
Still water, soft drinks, and a selection of white and red wines, including Prosecco, will be available throughout the evening. Everything is informal—food and drink are served buffet-style, and guests are welcome to enjoy them at their own pace, indoors or outdoors.
GNRC
The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) brings together groups and individuals from around the world working for the inclusion, dignity, and justice of LGBTIQ+ people in the Catholic Church. It is a space of faith, action, and dialogue, where diverse voices find common ground in the Gospel.
La Tenda di Gionata
La Tenda di Gionata is an Italian network that brings together LGBT+ believers, their families, and those who accompany them in their faith journey. It supports initiatives of welcome and formation throughout the country.
The pilgrimage
The Jubilee pilgrimage, organized by La Tenda di Gionata with the support of GNRC and other associations, is a shared act of faith and witness. On September 6, pilgrims will walk through the Porta Santa of St. Peter’s Basilica, affirming that the Church is home for all. The Pilgrims’ Rest offers them a moment of peace and communion at the end of the day.
See you soon, in Rome!
But... wait! There is more!
Want to continue your spiritual adventure before the pilgrimage?
Join the GNRC 2025 Assembly
WALKING TOGETHER: RAINBOW CHALLENGES AFTER THE SYNOD
During the Jubilee, we will walk together through an open door, the Holy Door. Pilgrims’ Rest is a time to gather again, to breathe, to remember that we are still pilgrims — not visitors, but travellers. And if the journey needs places to reflect, to discern what to carry forward and what to leave behind, the GNRC Assembly in August is one of those places.
It’s not just for leaders or seasoned activists: it’s an invitation for anyone who wants to share their story, bring their questions, and join a space of shared hope. From August 21 → 25 2025, we’ll meet in Madrid, Spain, to build connections, shape a common vision, and strengthen alliances of faith and justice. And, it is momentous occasion as GNRC celebrates tenth anniversary!
The 2025 Assembly will gather LGBTQ+ Catholics, their families, and allies from around the world under the theme “Walking Together: Rainbow Challenges After the Synod.” It will be a space of encounter, discernment, and joy — with workshops, worship, and shared meals. The Assembly is open to those who walk at the crossroads of faith, sexuality, and gender, whether as part of a national group, a local church, or on a personal path.
During the Jubilee, we walked together toward an open door. Pilgrims’ Rest is a time to gather again, to breathe, to remember that we are still pilgrims — not visitors, but travelers. And if the journey needs places to reflect, to discern what to carry forward and what to leave behind, the GNRC Assembly in October is one of those places.
It’s not just for leaders or seasoned activists: it’s an invitation for anyone who wants to share their story, bring their questions, and join a space of shared hope. From August 21 → 25 2025, we’ll meet in Madrid, Spain, to build connections, shape a common vision, and strengthen alliances of faith and justice. See you there?
Hosted in the heart of Madrid at Resa Colegio Mayor Miguel Antonio Caro, the Assembly will feature plenary sessions with speakers like Cristina Inogés, Sister María Luisa Berzosa, James Alison, Renato Lings, and an anonymous voice from Africa. There will be interactive workshops, cultural exchanges, and an international celebration evening — all designed to deepen our dialogue on faith and LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Church. We will have the richness and depth of over a decade of being and doing to engage with. See you there?
More information and the registration form are available at https://rainbowcatholics.org/assembly2025/
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