Many of you have probably heard that Pope Francis has declared 2025 a Jubilee Year of Hope. It officially began on Dec. 24, 2024, when he opened the first Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and it will conclude on Jan. 6, 2026.
Over the next few weeks, we will discuss this declaration, its importance, and how you can participate.
The Jubilee Year has its roots in the Old Testament when God instructed the children of Israel through Moses to count every fiftieth year as sacred (Lev 25:10). Since 1300, the Roman Catholic Church has observed Ordinary Jubilee Years at regular intervals (every 25 years since 1470) and Extraordinary Jubilee Years (most recently, the Year of Mercy in 2016). Whether Ordinary or Extraordinary, the purpose of any Jubilee Year is to pause, pray, and give glory to God.
One of the most important observances of a Jubilee Year is the pilgrimage, which involves traveling the world to appreciate the beauty of creation, recall the need for silence and recollection, form friendships with fellow travelers, and seek Christ, who is the way (John 14:6) and the gateway (John 10:9) to eternal life.
Knowing that very few of us can travel to Rome to pass through the Holy Doors in the Eternal City, Archbishop Vigneron has designated twelve pilgrimage sites throughout the Archdiocese. These sites will allow the faithful to pray the official prayer for the 2025 Jubilee Year and spiritually unite with all who will journey to Rome as pilgrims.
For more info, visit https://www.aod.org/jubilee and the official Jubilee pages of the Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
