The Jubilee Year begins on the 24th December and the theme is Pilgrims of Hope.
Let us prepare for the Jubilee Year as well as for Christmas during this last Sunday of Advent with an open heart and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ in His Word and in His Sacraments.
What is a Jubilee?
A Jubilee is a special year in the Jewish tradition marked by the sounding of the ram’s horn, or yobel, to signal the beginning of a time of renewal, forgiveness, and reconciliation, occurring every 50 years. Rooted in biblical teachings (Leviticus 25:8-13), it involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of land, and the letting of fields lie fallow.
In Christian tradition, the Jubilee Year is linked to Jesus’ mission, as described in the Gospel of Luke, where He proclaims liberty and healing (Luke 4:18-19).
The first Holy Year was called in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII, initially celebrated every 100 years, but later modified to occur every 50 years by Pope Clement VI and then every 25 years by Pope Paul II.
Extraordinary Jubilees, such as the 2015 Year of Mercy by Pope Francis, have also been declared.
A central feature of the Jubilee is the pilgrimage to Rome’s Basilicas, with participants granted a plenary indulgence.
Learn more about the Jubilee Year here in the Auckland Diocese
Events in the Auckland Diocese.