Understanding the Jubilee Year
The term Jubilee comes from the Hebrew word yobel, meaning ram’s horn, which was used to announce the start of the Jubilee year. In Jewish tradition, the Jubilee was celebrated every 50 years, as outlined in Leviticus 25:8-13. It was a time for renewing relationships with God, others, and creation through acts such as forgiving debts, returning misappropriated land, and allowing fields to rest.
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus speaks of a Jubilee-like mission, quoting Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…to bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, and announce a year acceptable to the Lord.” He fulfilled this mission through his ministry, bringing liberation and transformation.
The Jubilee in Catholic Tradition
The first Christian Jubilee, also known as a Holy Year, was proclaimed in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII as a time for spiritual renewal and transformation. Initially celebrated every 100 years, the interval was later reduced to every 50 years by Pope Clement VI in 1343 and every 25 years by Pope Paul II in 1470. Extraordinary Jubilees have also been proclaimed, such as the Jubilee of Redemption in 1933 and the Year of Mercy in 2015.
A key tradition of the Jubilee is the Holy Door, symbolizing the path to renewal. Pilgrims pass through these doors in major basilicas as a sign of repentance and transformation. Participation in the Jubilee offers the faithful a plenary indulgence through confession, Eucharist, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions.
The Jubilee continues to be a time of hope, reconciliation, and a call to deepen our relationship with God and one another.
Theme
The theme for the 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” invites all the faithful to embrace hope as a guiding light in their spiritual journey. Chosen by Pope Francis, this theme emphasizes trust in God’s promises, even amidst life’s challenges, and inspires believers to live as witnesses of hope, peace, and renewal in the world.
At its core, this Jubilee theme focuses on the idea of pilgrimage as a symbol of the Christian life. A pilgrimage represents a journey of spiritual transformation, encouraging participants to deepen their relationship with God and seek reconciliation. The Holy Doors, opened at key basilicas during the Jubilee, serve as powerful signs of God’s mercy and grace, welcoming pilgrims to experience renewal and conversion.
The Jubilee also emphasizes reconciliation and peace. It calls for mending broken relationships with God, with one another, and with creation. By fostering forgiveness, understanding, and care for the environment, believers can actively embody the message of hope.
Rooted in Scripture, the Jubilee theme reflects Jesus’ words in Luke 4:18-19:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
These words remind us of Christ’s mission to bring healing, liberation, and transformation—a mission the Jubilee calls us to live out in our own lives.
The Jubilee of Hope is a time to renew our faith, trust in God’s love, and share the joy of the Gospel with others. Let us come together as “Pilgrims of Hope,” walking in unity toward a future filled with God’s grace and peace.
