On Sunday, 29 December 2024, at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, His Beatitude Pierbattista Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem presided over a celebratory Mass to mark the beginning of the Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Jerusalem. [Links to the LPJ article about the opening celebration and the homily of the Patriarch can be found below.]
On this occasion, the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land (AOCHL or AOCTS) issued a message to all the faithful about the Jubilee Year, titled "Hope does not disappoint". The message reflected the significance of the Jubilee Year, especially for the Church of the Holy Land. [A link to the complete message is below.]
According to biblical tradition, it is a special year when prisoners are set free, debts are forgiven, reconciliation with God and neighbor is achieved, peace is embraced, and justice is promoted. It is a time for personal and communal spiritual renewal (cf. Lev. 25; Is. 61:1-2). The message reminded the faithful that, even in difficult times, there are many signs of hope, such as the deep yearning for peace and the perseverance of Christian families in their land despite many challenges.
Plenary Indulgence
Pope Francis has granted special Indulgences to the faithful who observe and take part in the celebration of the Jubilee of Hope. One may gain this special Indulgence by participating in any pilgrimage and fulfilling the usual conditions (see below) during the pilgrimage, to one of the designated churches. In the Holy Land, three basilicas have been designated as sacred Jubilee sites: Jerusalem - Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, Bethlehem - Basilica of the Nativity and Nazareth - Basilica of the Annunciation. The pilgrimage could be by an individual, or it could be a group of the faithful.
What must one do to receive the special Plenary Indulgence?
To gain this special Indulgence, a Catholic is required to make sacramental Confession before or after visiting a designated Jubilee pilgrimage site and receive the Eucharist at Mass before or after visiting a designated Jubilee pilgrimage site. In addition, a person is to make a profession of faith and offer prayers for the Holy Father’s intentions at the site.
In addition to and in conjunction with fulfilling these conditions, one may then take part in any of the following observances of the Jubilee of Hope.
- Make a pilgrimage to one of these Basilicas or any one of the designated Jubilee pilgrimage sites throughout the world and there participate in Mass, or the Sacrament of Penance, or take part in another liturgy or devotion (e.g., a liturgy of the word, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Stations of the Cross, the Rosary).
- One may also gain the Plenary Indulgence by visiting one of the designated Jubilee pilgrimage sites and there, for a suitable period of time, engage in Eucharistic adoration or meditation before the tabernacle, concluding with the Our Father, the Profession of Faith (Nicene or Apostles’ Creed), and invocations to Mary, the Mother of God.
- Those who for various reasons cannot participate in a Pilgrimage or visit, particularly the sick and people who are elderly and alone, e.g., confined to the home, those incarcerated, can obtain the Jubilee indulgence, under the same conditions if, united in spirit with the faithful who take part in person, they recite the Our Father, the Profession of Faith and invocations to Mary.
The full Decree on the Granting of the Indulgence is linked below.
The message of the AOCHL to the faithful ends with a traditional & ancient prayer, the Act of Hope:
O Lord God,
I hope by your grace for the pardon of all my sins
and after life here to gain eternal happiness
because you have promised it
who are infinitely powerful, faithful, kind, and merciful.
In this hope, I intend to live and die. Amen.
Opening Celebration for the Jubilee Year https://www.lpj.org/en/news/the-diocese-of-jerusalem-begins-its-holy
Patriarch’s Message to the Faithful https://www.lpj.org/en/news/message-to-the-faithful-of-the-holy-land-from-the-acohl-hope-does
Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family & Opening of the Jubilee Year https://www.lpj.org/en/news/homily-for-the-feast-of-the-holy-family-and-the-opening-of-the
DECREE of the Granting of the Indulgence During the Ordinary Jubilee Year 2025 called by His Holiness Pope Francis https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/tribunals/apost_penit/documents/rc_penitenzieria-ap_20240513_norme-indulgenza-giubileo2025_en.html
