By Elena Perri • Posted December 4, 2024

The Catholic Church has many rich traditions providing the faithful around the world with opportunities to renew their faith and strengthen their relationship with Christ. One of those special traditions is the celebration of a Jubilee Year every quarter of a century.

This tradition dates back to 1300 when Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Holy Year. At that time Jubilee Years were celebrated every 100 years. Eventually, the interval was shortened to 25.

The Jubilee Year celebrations were established as a way for Catholics to “focus on living out an experience of thanksgiving for the blessings that Christ gives to us, and also to seek the forgiveness of our sins,” said Father Dennis Gill, director of the Office for Divine Worship and rector of the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis will open the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, marking the beginning of the Catholic Church’s celebration of the Jubilee Year in 2025. The theme is “Pilgrims of Hope.”

In his February 2022 letter announcing the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis stated the following. “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire.”

To begin the local observance of the Jubilee Year, Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez will celebrate an opening Mass on Holy Family Sunday, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. in the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. All are encouraged to attend the Mass that will be preceded by an outdoor procession into the church.

The Archbishop invites all Catholics in the Church of Philadelphia to experience spiritual renewal by participating in Holy Year events in their homes, in their local parishes, and at shrines throughout the region, and at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, the Mother Church of the Archdiocese.

The goal of the Jubilee Year 2025 is to offer pilgrims opportunities for reconciliation, indulgences, prayer, and reception of the sacraments in their local communities. The fruits of these activities include strengthened personal relationships with Jesus Christ and enriched faith journeys.

One of the ways that Catholics can participate in the Jubilee Year is by making a pilgrimage to the church where they were baptized, according to Father Gill.

“The Holy Father sees as one of the principal pilgrimages that we all make is the pilgrimage through life to eternal life,” he said. “He is encouraging an understanding of the pilgrimage of living our Christian life more authentically, and he is encouraging people to visit the font where they were baptized, the origin of their Christian life.”

In addition, Catholics will be invited to participate in a pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. An archdiocesan pilgrimage to the national shrine is planned for some time next year.

“We also hope that many parishes will have pilgrimages to Rome for the Jubilee Year,” he added.

Archbishop Pérez and the archdiocesan Office for Ministry with Young Adults are hosting a pilgrimage to Rome for young adults (18-39) July 26 to Aug. 4, 2025, for the Jubilee of Young People.

The pilgrimage coincides with an international jubilee-year event in Rome July 28 to Aug. 3, 2025 celebrating the role of young people in the Church and the hope they can inspire in others. .

Opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation and plenary indulgences are important aspects of the Jubilee Year, Father Gill said.

“The Archbishop is going to designate our national archdiocesan shrines as particular places of pilgrimage where the indulgence will be available for Catholics,” he added.

Those shrines are the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, and the National Shrines of St. John Neumann and St. Rita of Cascia in Philadelphia.

The gift of an indulgence provides the faithful — through the sacraments and good works — the remission of any punishment due to their sins upon death. (Learn more about plenary indulgences here.)

The 11 Missionary of Mercy priests in the Archdiocese will be key participants in hearing confessions. Pope Francis has commissioned these priests to emphasize the duty shared by all priests to “hear confessions and preach on behalf of and promote the Sacrament of Reconciliation.”

A focus on the Eucharist also will be highlighted during the Jubilee Year through the celebration of the 40 Hours Devotion, which will take place in parishes across the Archdiocese. A schedule of these devotions will be posted on a page dedicated to the Holy Year’s events, here.

St. John Neumann began the tradition of 40 Hours Devotions in the Archdiocese to encourage the faithful to spend time in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

A special commemoration of the 1,700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea will be held next spring, Father Gill said. This first ecumenical council of the Church, called in 325, developed the core statement of doctrinal beliefs held by Catholic, Orthodox and most Protestant Christians and known today as the Nicene Creed.

Father Gill encourages all Catholics to observe the Jubilee Year by spending time in prayer and deepening their relationship with the Lord.

“I want them to know all the gifts the Lord has given us,” he said. “Once we know him, then we want to follow him on our way through this life, to the next life.”

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Resources and information about upcoming events for the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is available online here.