A jubilee year, also known as a “holy year,” is a special year in the life of the church currently celebrated every 25 years.
Jubilee years have their origins in the Old Testament.
God told Moses that every fiftieth year was to be set aside for the restoration of land, the release of slaves and the forgiveness of debts (Lev 25:10).
The jubilee was a time for the Israelites to re-establish a proper relationship with God and with one another.
The Catholic Church has been celebrating regular Jubilee years since 1300.
The most recent ordinary jubilee was in 2000, with Pope Francis calling for an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015-2016.
Jubilee years are for us!
Jubilee years emphasize the sacrament of reconciliation and restoring relationships with God. They also provide an opportunity for a special jubilee indulgence, which can remove the residual effects of sin through the grace of Christ. The year calls Christians to action, and Pope Francis calls us to work toward “signs of Hope.”
Jubilee 2025 opened on Christmas Eve and goes until Epiphany 2026
The Holy Year began on Dec. 24 with the rite of the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
