The first Jubilee or ‘Holy Year’ was instituted by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300, initially occurring every hundred years before being adjusted to every fifty years and subsequently every twenty-five years. Regarded by the faithful as a unique grace, the Year of Jubilee focuses in a special way on the mercy of God, and is marked by the forgiveness of sins and the granting of an indulgence.
Pope Francis has declared that the Jubilee of 2025 will have the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope.’
It will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. For more information about the Jubilee, click here.
This page contains accessible content for the Diocese of Westminster’s Jubilee celebration. Scroll down to see the Jubilee prayer and hymn in British Sign Language.