What is the Jubilee?

Jubilee is the name given to a particular year; the name comes from the instrument used to mark its launch. In this case, the instrument in question is the yobel, the ram's horn, used to proclaim the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This (Jewish) holiday occurs every year, but it takes on special significance when it marks the beginning of a Jubilee year. We can find an early indication of it in the Bible: a Jubilee year was to be marked every 50 years, since this would be an “extra” year, one which would happen every seven weeks of seven years, i.e., every 49 years (cf. Leviticus 25:8-13). Even though it wasn’t easy to organise, it was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.

Quoting the prophet Isaiah, the Gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ mission in this way: “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,” (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus lives out these words in his daily life, in his encounters with others and in his relationships, all of which bring about liberation and conversion.

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a“Holy Year,” since it is a time in which God's holiness transforms us. The frequency of Holy Years has changed over time: at first, they were celebrated every 100 years; later, in 1343 Pope Clement VI reduced the gap between Jubilees to every 50 years, and in 1470 Pope Paul II made it every 25 years. There have also been “extraordinary” Holy Years: for example, in 1933 Pope Pius XI chose to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of the Redemption, and in 2015 Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of Mercy as an extraordinary jubilee. The way in which Jubilee Years are marked has also changed through the centuries: originally the Holy Year consisted of a pilgrimage to the Roman Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, later other signs were added, such as the Holy Door. By participating in the Holy Year, one is granted a plenary indulgence.

Characteristics of the jubilee

Pilgrimage

A pilgrimage isn’t just about traveling to a place—it’s about letting the journey change you. It starts with a decision: choosing to set out. The word “pilgrimage” comes from Latin roots meaning "across the fields" or "crossing borders," reminding us that it's about stepping out of our comfort zones.

The Bible is full of journeys. Abraham was called by God to leave his home and head to the Promised Land. Jesus’ mission was one big journey, moving from Galilee to Jerusalem, and He invites us to follow Him too.

On a pilgrimage, every step matters. You’ll experience prayer, Mass, and moments that teach you about your faith. You’ll meet people who show you new ways to see the world. Even nature becomes part of the journey, reminding us to care for God’s creation.

At its heart, a pilgrimage is about conversion—letting God transform you and make you holy. It’s not just a trip; it’s a chance to grow closer to Him.

Holy Door

You don’t have to travel to Rome to experience the Jubilee, Every single Cathedral around the world, including Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Halifax, Saint Ambrose Co-Cathedral in Yarmouth, and Saint Ninian Cathedral in Antigonish will have their own Jubilee Doors from December 29, 2024 - December 28, 2025. The Holy Door is one of the most powerful symbols of the Jubilee Year, representing the pilgrim’s journey and the decision to follow Jesus.

The Gospel of John says, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” (John 10:9) Passing through the Holy Door is more than just stepping into a church; it’s a symbolic act of choosing Christ as your guide. It reminds us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, leading us to peace and reconciliation.

Walking through the Jubilee Door also highlights the importance of the Church—not just as a building but as a community of believers united in Christ. It’s a place of encounter, prayer, and healing where every pilgrim is welcomed into a deeper relationship with God.

While Rome is the heart of the universal Church, with its ties to Saints Peter and Paul, our pilgrimage in Halifax offers the same spiritual grace and opportunity for renewal. The Jubilee Door at Saint Mary’s invites us to take a step toward God, opening our hearts to His love and mercy right here at home.

Reconciliation

A Jubilee Year is a time for reconciliation—a “favorable time” to turn back to God (2 Corinthians 6:2). It’s about putting God at the center of our lives, recognizing His place as Creator, and allowing His holiness to transform us. Even the call for justice and care for creation is rooted in this: when we give God His rightful place, everything else falls into order.

As Pope Francis reminds us, “Mercy is not opposed to justice but expresses God’s way of reaching out to the sinner.” Through the Cross, God offers us love and new life. His mercy gives us the chance to start fresh, to turn away from sin, and to grow in faith.

Reconciliation is key to this journey. The sacrament of Confession is a moment to experience God’s forgiveness personally. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available in Many churches throughout the year, especially in the Jubilee Churches. To prepare, take time to reflect on your life, using a guide if needed, and approach the sacrament with an open heart.

This Jubilee is your chance to rediscover confession, to hear God’s words of forgiveness, and to embrace the love He freely offers.

Prayer

At its core, prayer is about being open to God—His presence, His love, and His call in our lives. It’s the Holy Spirit that stirs our hearts, drawing us closer to the Father. Jesus Himself taught us to pray through the Lord’s Prayer, and the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, offers many other prayers, like the Hail Mary, to help us find the words to speak to God.

In Fall 2024 we did a short series on Prayer where we talked about Personal Prayer, Liturgical Prayer that you would see at Mass, and a method of prayer called Visio Divina.

Check out this YouTube Playlist with Guided Prayer.

The Holy Spirit, through the Church, teaches us how to pray as God’s children. Prayer is like a journey toward God, with stops along the way—shrines, sanctuaries, and places full of spiritual meaning—that refresh and inspire us. Remember, many saints have walked this path before us, showing that we’re not alone in our journey of faith.

Liturgy

The liturgy is the public prayer of the Church: in the words of the Second Vatican Council, it is the “summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; [and,] at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows.”  (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10). At the center is the Christian liturgy is the Mass - the Eucharistic celebration, where the Body and Blood of Christ are truly received. As a pilgrim, Christ himself walks alongside the disciples and reveals to them the mysteries of the Father, so that they too can say, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” (Luke 24:29).

One liturgical rite that is specific to the Jubilee year is the opening of the Holy Door. Until the last century, the Pope would symbolically initiate the demolition of the wall that kept the Holy Door bricked up on non-Jubilee years. Masons would then fully remove the brick wall to be able to open the Holy Door. Since 1950, the ceremony has changed and now the wall is dismantled beforehand and, within a solemn choral liturgy, the Pope pushes open the door from the outside, passing through it as the first pilgrim. This and the other liturgical expressions that accompany the Holy Year emphasize that the Jubilee pilgrimage is not merely an intimate, personal gesture, but is a sign of the journey of the whole people of God toward the Kingdom.

Profession of Faith

The profession of faith – also known as the ‘Symbol’ - is a sign of the identity of the baptized person. The profession of faith expresses the central content of the faith: it succinctly captures the main truths that a believer accepts and witnesses to on the day of his or her baptism and shares with the entire Christian community for the rest of his or her life.

There are various professions of faith which show the richness of the experience of encountering Jesus Christ. Traditionally, however, there are two that have gained special recognition in the Church: the baptismal creed of the church of Rome and the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed, originally formulated in 325 at the Council of Nicaea, in present-day Turkey, and then refined at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved,” (Romans 10:9-10). This passage from St. Paul emphasizes how proclaiming the mystery of faith requires a deep conversion not only in one's words, but above all in one’s understanding of God, of oneself and of the world. “To say the Creed with faith is to enter into communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and also with the whole Church which transmits the faith to us and in whose midst, we believe” (CCC 197).

Indulgences

The Jubilee Indulgence is a concrete manifestation of God's mercy, which goes beyond and transforms the boundaries of human justice. This treasury of grace entered human history in the witness of Jesus and the saints, and by living in communion with them our hope for our own forgiveness is strengthened and becomes a certainty. The Jubilee indulgence allows us to free our hearts from the weight of sin because the reparation due for our sins is given freely and abundantly.

In practical terms, the experience of God’s mercy involves some spiritual acts indicated by the Pope. Those who cannot make the Jubilee pilgrimage due to illness or other circumstances are nonetheless invited to take part in the spiritual movement that accompanies the Jubilee year, offering up the sufferings of their daily lives, and participating in the Eucharistic celebration.

What is a Plenery Indulgence - Catholic Answers

Offering a Plenary Indulgence for the Souls in Purgatory - Catholic Answers

Indulgences - Catholic Encyclopedia