With this weekend’s celebrations we enter into a new Church Year; in fact, a Jubilee Year! The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee Year, or Holy Year, every 25 years. In Western Christianity, this tradition dates back to 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII first called for one, in the face of great suffering caused by wars and diseases such as the plague. Extraordinary jubilee years can be promulgated in between, depending on need. For example, you might recall that Pope Francis declared an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015-16. Pilgrimages to sacred sites are generally involved, especially to Rome.
In the Jewish tradition, the jubilee year was a time of joy, a year of remission or universal pardon. “You shall treat this fiftieth year as sacred. You shall proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to your own property, each of you to your own family” (Leviticus 25:10).
This year is the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of the Lord, and in his announcement, Pope Francis stated: “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire.”
The faithful will be offered opportunities to participate in various jubilee events at the Vatican and in their own dioceses. The great tradition of opening the Holy Door will begin when Pope Francis opens the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica on 24 December 2024. Other holy doors will be opened at the Rome basilicas of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. For pilgrims who cannot travel to Rome, bishops around the world are expected to designate their cathedrals or a popular Catholic shrine as special places of prayer for Holy Year pilgrims, offering opportunities for reconciliation, indulgences, and other events intended to strengthen and receive faith.
In joyful anticipation of the shared year ahead,
Fr. Terry