The Jubilee of hope is a special year of grace for the faithful throughout the world. “We must […] do everything possible so that everyone may regain the strength and certainty to look to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and a farsighted mind. The coming Jubilee can greatly contribute to restoring a climate of hope and trust, as a sign of a renewed rebirth whose urgency we all feel. For this reason I have chosen the motto Pilgrims of Hope.” Pope Francis wrote this in his letter to Monsignor Rino Fisichella for the 2025 Jubilee. The faithful throughout the world are eagerly awaiting the next Jubilee. Even those who profess another faith recognize its importance. The last Extraordinary Jubilee, desired by Pope Francis, took place in 2015: the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which saw 950 million Catholics pass through a Holy Door. The Jubilee taking place in 2025 will be the second Jubilee with Pope Francis.
Rekindling hope in hearts
The 2025 Jubilee will be a fitting opportunity to rekindle hope in our hearts after the dark period that all humanity experienced during the pandemic. It was a period in which we saw many certainties collapse and experienced loneliness and fear. Since then, our way of life has changed. Humanity is still living through dark times with wars and climate change, and in our hearts the light of hope must now be rekindled more than ever.
A special year of grace
The Jubilee is a special year of grace in which the Church offers the possibility of requesting a plenary indulgence, that is, remission of sins for oneself or for the deceased. It is one of the ways through which the Church supports the journey of conversion needed to repair “the negative imprint” of sin that remains even after God’s forgiveness.
May the voices of the poor be heard
Pope Francis urges us to listen to the voices of the poor during this time of preparation for the Jubilee, which, as he writes, “according to the biblical command, restores to everyone access to the fruits of the earth: ‘What the land produces during its rest shall serve as food for you, your male and female slaves, your hired laborer, and the guest residing among you; also for your livestock and the wild animals in your land, all its produce shall serve as food’ (Lev 25:6-7). Therefore, the spiritual dimension of the Jubilee, which calls us to conversion, should be combined with these fundamental aspects of social life, to form a coherent whole. As we all feel like pilgrims on the earth where the Lord has placed us so that we may cultivate and care for it (cf. Gen 2:15), let us not fail, along the way, to contemplate the beauty of creation and care for our common home.”
