Jubilee Year 2025
What is a Jubilee Year in the Church?
A Jubilee Year occurs every 25 years in the Catholic Church and lasts for a whole year. The last regular Jubilee was the ‘Great Jubilee 2000.’
The idea of a Jubilee Year calls to mind the Old Testament tradition [cf. Leviticus 25:10–11] of a Jubilee Year every 50 years … a year of rest from work, when slaves were freed and debts were forgiven and property returned to those who originally owned it.
There is no direct link between the Old Testament tradition of Jubilee and the Catholic Tradition, which was started by Pope Boniface VIII in the Year 1300, to take place every 100 years. Pope Clement VI changed this to every 50 years in 1348 and then the interval between Jubilees was reduced still further in 1470 to 25 years, which is how it still remains to this day. (An ‘extraordinary Jubilee Year‘ was declared for 2016 - which was named the Year of Mercy, but this does not affect the regular 25 year cycle of Jubilees - hence it being ‘extraordinary’ (‘out of the ordinary’ cycle of Jubilee Years.)
What happens in a Jubilee Year?
The Jubilee Year begins on Christmas Eve with the opening of the Holy Doors at the Roman basilicas of St Peter, (where this particular door is only open in Jubilee Years), St. John Lateran, St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore, and ends with their closing on Christmas Eve one year later.
Throughout the whole world, at least one Church in each Diocese (or sometimes in each Deanery in a Diocese) is named as a Church where the same Jubilee indulgences can be gained locally, so those who are unable to visit Rome, can partake fully in the Jubilee.
During a Jubilee Year, Catholic have the chance to gain a plenary indulgence (the complete remission of punishment for sins committed). Each Pope can vary the conditions for this, but these usually involve:
Visiting the nominated Church in a Diocese (or one of the designated Churches in Rome),
Confession
Renunciation of attachment to sin
Prayer for the Pope
Receiving Holy Communion
Jubilee 2025
Preparations are starting in Rome for the Jubilee and further details will be available as Catholics prepare for the Jubilee as it approaches. The first announcement has been made - Pope Francis has revealed that he has chosen the motto ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ for the Jubilee Year.
