_What is a Jubilee?

A Jubilee Year, or Holy Year, is traditionally proclaimed every 25 years as a time of grace, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. It invites the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, seek repentance, forgive others, and deepen their relationship with God. Rooted in the Hebrew tradition, Jubilees were celebrated every 50 years, marking the freeing of slaves and forgiveness of debts, as described in Leviticus. The first Christian Jubilee was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, and since then, each Jubilee has been an opportunity for the faithful to experience God’s mercy and receive a plenary indulgence.

The 2025 Jubilee, themed “Pilgrims of Hope,” begins on 24 December 2024 with the Opening of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica and offically concludes in Rome on 6 January 2026, the feast of the Epiphany. Locally, the Jubilee in the Diocese of Wollongong will commence with the opening of the Holy Door at St Francis Xavier Cathedral on 29 December 2024. This special celebration will feature prayers, a pilgrimage walk led by Bishop Brian Mascord, and the celebration of the Eucharist. The faithful are encouraged to embrace this Holy Year by participating in pilgrimages, prayer, eucharistic Adoration, and acts of repentance and charity, drawing closer to the limitless mercy of God.

A LETTER FROM POPE FRANCIS