Why is the jubilee such an important event for Catholics? The answer is simple: It offers an extraordinary opportunity to attain salvation and to experience that God's holiness can transform us. Ultimately, it is a gift that helps us reach heaven, as it grants believers access to all the possible treasures of the Church, such as plenary indulgences, which restore the soul to the state it was in at the time of baptism.
Throughout each month of the year, one or more jubilees dedicated to different groups will be celebrated in Rome. For example, in January, the Jubilee of the World of Communication will take place, in February the Jubilee of Artists, in April the Jubilee of Teenagers, and in May the Jubilee of Brotherhoods.
Two indulgences in one day?
In the sacrament of penance, sins are forgiven. However, the temporal punishment that divine justice demands remains. An indulgence grants forgiveness of all temporal punishments in purgatory, so if a person dies after receiving this gift, they go directly to heaven. The immense value and deep significance contained in this "treasure" make it a privilege reserved for specific places and times designated for its granting. Indeed, this is the greatness of the jubilee year, a time when opportunities to obtain it multiply - even twice in one day! Although it is usually the rule that only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day, during the jubilee year a second can be gained if it is for souls in purgatory, i.e., the second will only apply to the deceased.
To obtain the jubilee indulgence, it is important to know both how it is granted (requirements) and where (specific places or times) it is granted. With the arrival of the Jubilee of Hope, the Vatican has set three usual conditions:
“All believers who are sincerely repentant and free from any affection for sin, who are moved by the spirit of love, and who during the holy year, purified by the sacrament of penance and refreshed by holy communion, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, will be able to obtain from the treasury of the Church plenary indulgences,” the document states.
How can one experience the Jubilee 2025 without traveling to Rome?
During the year 2025, Catholics will be able to obtain an indulgence on pilgrimage to any jubilee holy place, that is, to those churches designated for this purpose. In Rome, in addition to the four major basilicas, there are another 13 churches. The Eternal City is undoubtedly the center of the Jubilee 2025 and expects to welcome 30 million pilgrims throughout the year. However, if a person cannot travel to Rome, there are many other ways to obtain an indulgence and experience true conversion and strengthening of faith.
Any Catholic who wishes can do this in their city. In each diocese, there are designated places to which one can pilgrimage and where indulgences can be obtained. Their list can be found HERE. Indulgences can also be obtained by performing acts of mercy and penance, such as visiting people in need or distress (the sick, prisoners, lonely elderly people, etc.), and even by abstaining for at least one day from "banal distractions," such as social media. In addition, those who cannot participate in the pilgrimage for "serious reasons" can obtain an indulgence by reciting the Our Father, the Creed in any approved form, and other prayers in accordance with the goals of the holy year and by offering their sufferings or difficulties in life.
What are the Holy Doors and how many are there in the world?
Pope Francis officially inaugurated the Jubilee of Hope 2025 by opening the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on December 24, 2024. Passing through the Holy Door during the jubilee symbolizes entering a new life in Christ and the beginning of a path of conversion. Holy Doors can be either permanent or temporary. The first category includes only nine in the world. The most famous is the door of St. Peter in the Vatican, followed by the doors of the three major basilicas in Rome: St. John's Lateran, St. Paul's Outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore. There are others outside Rome, such as the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela [Spain], the basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio in L'Aquila [Italy], the basilica-cathedral of Notre-Dame de Québec [Canada], the cathedral in Atri [Italy], and the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart in New Delhi [India]. Temporary Holy Doors are those that open only for a specific jubilee year, such as on December 26, 2024, when Pope Francis opened the Holy Door for the first time in jubilee tradition at the Rebibbia prison, located on the outskirts of Rome.
Source: cirkev.cz