Understanding the Jubilee Year of Hope 

As we begin this Jubilee of Hope, we want to include some information that can help us understand the Jubilee and its importance, plus ways to take part in the graces of the Jubilee Year. 

Where did the idea of the Jubilee originate? The year of jubilee was instituted in Leviticus 24 and 25. Every 50 years, a jubilee was celebrated, land was returned it its original owners, debts were forgiven, slaves set free. And Jesus, when he begins his public ministry, quoting from Isaiah, proclaims that he is inaugurating a jubilee. 

How long has the Church been celebrating Jubilee Years? The first Jubilee was celebrated in 1300, and after that, for a time the Church held a Jubilee Year every 100 years, but that was reduced to every 50 years by the next Pope. In 1389, the Jubilee was set for every 33 years, in honor of the years of Christ’s life. However, since 1450, ordinary Jubilees have been held every 25 years, with the exception of two Jubilee’s during the Napoleonic wars. 

What characterizes a Jubilee Year? The Jubilee Year is also called a “Holy Year,” because it is a time in which God’s grace and holiness particularly transform us. It is a year of powerful grace for the life of the Church and each person in the Church. It has seven characteristics: pilgrimage, the holy door, reconciliation, prayer, liturgy, faith, and indulgences. In the upcoming weeks, we will dive into each of these characteristics. 

What is the connection between the Jubilee Year and the Works of Mercy? In “Spes Non Confundit,”the papal bull for this Jubilee Year, Pope Francis calls for all of us to be signs of hope for the world, and in that call to be signs of hope, he particularly emphasizes the works of mercy. Participating n the works of mercy is a way of manifesting hope to those who are suffering from various difficult or distressing situations, such as homelessness, illness, etc. The works of mercy both teach us to hope more in what God’s mercy can do for others and teach us how to be living witnesses to God’s merciful love. The Pope writes: “During the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.” 

Holy Doors & Pilgrimages

One of the key signs of the Jubilee Year is the opening of the Holy Doors, in Rome and throughout the world. Pope Francis opened the first Holy Door at St. Peter’s on Christmas Eve, officially ushering in this Jubilee Year of Hope, and in the following days, a Holy Door was opened in each of the Basilicas in Rome. Bishops throughout the world have also opened Holy Doors in their dioceses. Here in Portland, Archbishop Sample opened the Holy Door in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and designated other sites for Jubilee Pilgrimages. 

What is a Holy Door, and what is its significance? The Holy Door is so called because it calls everyone who walks through that door to walk in holiness of life. The custom of the Holy Door goes all the way back to 1423. In this Jubilee of Hope, the opening of the Holy Door signifies that the door of hope has been opened to the whole world, the hope that comes from Jesus Christ. In his Christmas Eve homily, the occasion for opening the first Holy Door in Rome, Pope Francis said, “The ‘holy door’ of God’s heart lies open before you. Jesus, God-with-us, is born for you, for us, for every man and woman. With Him, joy flourishes; with Him, life changes; with Him, hope does not disappoint.” 

Why make a pilgrimage to a Holy Door? Pilgrimage allows one time for prayer and reflection, and signifies the journey to God, the journey of renewal in hope. If you can’t make it to Rome, there are 10 sites in this Archdiocese, including the Cathedral and the Grotto. As Archbishop Sample said in his homily at the opening of the Jubilee here in Portland, we are called to be pilgrims of hope, to be renewed in hope for ourselves, and to bring hope out to the world. 

Indulgences

During this Jubilee Year of Hope, indulgences may be gained, indulgences which are to be seen as a special gift of grace of this holy year. 

What is an indulgence? According to the Catechism, “An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.” 

Why is an indulgence connected to the Jubilee Year? The Jubilee Year is a time of extraordinary grace. An indulgence granted in the Jubilee Year is a special celebration and gift of that abundant grace. 

How can I receive an indulgence? Indulgences connected to this Jubilee of Hope can be received through pilgrimages, through pious visits to sacred places, and through works of mercy and penance. For all the details about how, please visit usccb.org/jubilee2025.

You can also learn more about the Jubilee of Hope and look up the local Pilgrimage Sites on the Archdiocese website!

Seeds of Hope

As we celebrate this year, we want to encourage and edify others with testimonies of hope and stories of God's work that bring hope.