The Pope often reminds people of it, and the news and newspapers also talk about it. Yet many interested people still ask: “But what happens during the Jubilee?” With Holy Year 2025 now imminent, this article explains everything you need to know: what the Jubilee is, the meaning of the Holy Door, the central theme of indulgence, and the commitments it entails.
What is the Jubilee?
The Jubilee, recently proclaimed by the Pope, is a spiritual event celebrated every 25 years.
The term “Jubilee” derives from the Hebrew “jobel,” which referred to the ram’s horn used to announce a special year. In the Bible, the Jubilee is a period of liberation and social justice, characterized by the cancellation of debts and the freeing of slaves (Leviticus 25:10-13). Every 50 years, according to the Hebrew calendar, it was proclaimed to restore each family’s land to them.
The Jubilee is therefore an opportunity to renew our relationship with God, return to Him, and live according to His plan. It is an occasion of grace to experience the joy of returning to God and to build a more just and fraternal world.
The first Christian Jubilee
The proclamation of the Jubilee, instituted by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, was intended to renew Christians’ faith by promoting conversion, confession, reconciliation, and practices of justice and charity. Boniface VIII granted a plenary indulgence to those who traveled to Rome to pray at the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul.
Initially celebrated every 100 years, the Jubilee was later set at 50-year intervals by Clement VI in 1350 and at 25-year intervals by Paul II in 1470. Also known as the “Holy Year,” the Jubilee is a period of grace in which spiritual transformation is experienced. The addition of the Holy Door as a symbol of the Jubilee visit to the Roman basilicas is another sign of the sacred and renewing character of this special year. The Latin term jubilum evokes joy, which lies at the heart of Christian life, experienced through the remission of sins and plenary indulgence.
The Holy Door
On December 24, 2024, the Pope will open the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the beginning of the Jubilee. Originally located only at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, today the other Roman basilicas also offer this opportunity to pilgrims.
Passing through the Holy Door has deep spiritual significance, representing entry into Christ, as stated in the Gospel of John: “I am the door” (Jn 10:9). By passing through it, the faithful can experience the love of God, who forgives and gives hope. This gesture symbolizes the choice to follow Jesus and live according to his teachings. However, to fully experience the joy of the Jubilee, it is essential to participate in the sacraments and put the Gospel into practice every day.
Plenary indulgence
The indulgence is one of the distinctive signs of every Jubilee. Pope Francis explains it as an act of mercy that goes beyond the forgiveness of sins, also freeing us from the negative consequences they leave in our lives. Despite forgiveness, sins leave traces in our thoughts and behavior, but divine mercy overcomes this residue, bringing complete liberation and enabling us to grow in love and charity.
Receiving the indulgence is a grace that manifests God’s boundless mercy and offers the possibility of experiencing complete joy. To obtain it, it is necessary to perform certain meaningful acts, such as detachment from sin, completing an indulgenced work, and fulfilling three conditions: sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions.
Other ways to obtain the indulgence
In addition to traditional religious practices, the indulgence can be obtained through works of mercy and penance, which bear witness to conversion. The faithful are called to perform works of charity, such as helping those in difficulty (the sick, prisoners, the elderly, and people with disabilities). Visiting those in need is like a pilgrimage toward Christ present in them.
Those who cannot take part in Jubilee pilgrimages, such as the sick or people with disabilities, can obtain the indulgence by participating in popular missions, spiritual exercises, or formation meetings on the texts of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. These events, approved by the Pope, are a valid alternative for living out the Jubilee Year and advancing in the mission of bringing the Gospel to everyone.
It is therefore important to take up again the fundamental texts of the Second Vatican Council, and for this purpose the “Council Notebooks” have been prepared at the request of Pope Francis himself. The “Council Notebooks” resources are very accessible, written in language everyone can understand and authored by important figures (Monsignor Rino Fisichella, Monsignor Marco Frisina…). Through these texts, we are invited to advance in the mission of bringing the joyful proclamation of the Gospel to everyone.
The Jubilee is a special gift of grace, characterized by the forgiveness of sins and, in particular, by the indulgence, the fullest expression of God’s mercy. During the Holy Year, let us become “pilgrims of hope” and walk side by side toward the goal, which is Christ: he is our Jubilee, he is our indulgence, he is our hope, he is our salvation!
And what do you plan to do during the Jubilee? Do you plan to attend formation meetings on the texts of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Have a good journey!
