Conference of Catholic Bishops of India
Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
Inauguration of the Preparations for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025
Sunday, 26 November 2023
Solemnity of Christ the King
Guidelines and Liturgical Resources
It has been proposed that all the Local Churches inaugurate the Preparations for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025, on Sunday, 26 November 2023, Solemnity of Christ the King. However, at the discretion of the Local Ordinary a suitable date and time could be fixed.
Kindly note that we are inaugurating the preparations for the Jubilee 2025, NOT the celebrations. The celebrations will be inaugurated on 24 November 2024 by the Holy Father.
The inauguration of the preparations comprises of three elements:
(a) Unveiling of the logo of the Jubilee 2025. The logo could be unveiled by printing it on an eco-friendly fabric board or could be unfurled as a flag with logo printed on white background. All the parishes, and the religious institutes are invited to make the logo posted in their premises.
(b) A special Mass be celebrated with the maximum participation of the clergy, the religious, and the lay faithful, where the congregation could be introduced to the preparations for the Jubilee 2025.
(c) Recital of Jubilee 2025 prayer begins on 26 November 2023 and will be recited till the end of the Jubilee Year 2025.
1. Mass Introduction & Unveiling of the Jubilee 2025 Logo
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
Our Holy Mother Church has completed the First Session of the XVI General Assembly of the Synod on synodality, reflecting on ‘communion, mission, participation.’ The journey began in October 2021 with the Diocesan Phase, when all the faithful of the Local Churches were involved in the discussion; in the Continental Phase we discerned on different voices that emerged across the Episcopal Conferences; and in the Universal Phase deliberations have been made on communion, mission, and participation, and the synthesis report, ‘A Synodal Church in Mission’ is its fruit.
Integrating the synodal journey, and responding to the invitation of the Holy Father, the Church in India, inaugurates today the preparations for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025.
‘Pilgrims of Hope’ is the motto of the celebrations of Ordinary Jubilee 2025. Our Holy Father Pope Francis underscores the importance of hope in Christian life amidst uncertainties and hardships created by the pandemic and wars.
Learn, Pray, and Walk – these are the three words that we need to remember today. In the preparatory year (2023-2024), that we inaugurate today, we will learn the Four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council (on Bible, Worship, Church, and World) and will pray with the Church for the entire humanity. And in 2025 we will walk the Jubilee Doors in Rome making a pilgrimage to the Four Basilicas.
The logo for the Jubilee 2025 – that we unveil shortly – shows four figures in four colours representing the entire humanity hailing from the four corners of the earth. They embrace each other in solidarity and fraternity. The figure at the front holds fast to the cross, which gives us hope. The rough waves under the figures represent the present context of the world which is marked by turmoil and troubles. The lower part of the cross has been elongated and turned into the shape of an anchor which is a symbol of hope. The image illustrates the pilgrim’s journey not as an individual effort, but as a collective enterprise. At the bottom of the logo lies the motto of the Jubilee Year 2025: ‘Peregrinantes in Spem’ (‘Pilgrims of Hope’).
The Jubilee 2025 is meant to celebrate God, the Church, and each of us. The post-pandemic war-hitting world today needs ‘hope.’ As pilgrims of hope let us light candle of hope in our families, workplaces, parishes, Diocese, and society.
May Christ the King instil in us the ray of hope, and inspire us to walk his path of service.
We shall unveil the Jubilee 2025 logo now.
2. Homily Notes
[The following text explains the Jubilee 2025, its meaning, purpose, preparation, and celebration. The text serves as a tool for homily preparation. At the end of the Prayers of the Faithful, the Celebrant, during the silent pause, shall invite the congregation to pray for the effectiveness of the preparations for the Jubilee 2025]
a. Jubilee in the Bible. Etymologically, the word ‘jubilee’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘yobel’ (= ram’s horn) which was used as a trumpet to announce the beginning of the 50th year, i.e., the completion of 49 years (7 times 7 years). According to Lev 25:8-13 the celebration of the jubilee year entails release of slaves, forgiveness of debts, repatriation of property. In other words, jubilee is understood as four R’s: Rest (the land is given rest); Review (an inventory of life, livestock, personnel, and land is taken); Restore (setting the societal clock back to zero); and Reconcile (aligning our relationships right with God and one another). The ‘holy year’ which the Prophet Isaiah (cf. Isa 61; See Also Lk 4) speaks of also alludes to jubilee. Here, the holy year is understood as the year of recalling and announcing God’s favour and mercy. From the biblical point of view, celebration of a jubilee makes us retrospect the past (liberation), live in the present (consolation), and set our vision on the future (moving forward). Besides, jubilee is the celebration of time, and since it is the celebration of time it is a gift from God. That is why we pray at the Easter Vigil: ‘all times belong to him and all ages.’
b. Jubilees in History. The first ordinary jubilee year (‘holy year’) was announced in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII. Initially, ordinary jubilee was celebrated once in 100 years; Pope Clement VI in 1343 began to celebrate it every 50 years; in 1470 Pope Paul II made it every 25 years. There have also been ‘extraordinary’ holy years: in 1933 Pope Pius XI celebrated 1900th anniversary of the Redemption (based on this, some charismatic groups propagate 2033 as the jubilee of the Great Mission Command, but the Church has not officially endorsed it); in 2015 Pope Francis proclaimed the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. The previous ordinary jubilee was the Great Jubilee 2000, for which we had three years of preparation: 1997 (God the Son), 1998 (God the Holy Spirit), and 1999 (God the Father). Jubilee events entail entering the holy door, undertaking pilgrimages, and obtaining indulgences.
c. Characteristics of the Jubilee. The Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World, which coordinates the celebrations, spells out seven characteristics of the Jubilee: (i) Pilgrimage (journey, crossing of boundaries, going across the fields, with other journeying companions); (ii) Holy Door (powerful sign, four Roman Basilicas, Jesus is the Door, journey to the interior of a church); (iii) Reconciliation (placing God at the centre of our lives, restoration of social justice, confession); (iv) Prayer (being open to God’s presence and his offer of love); (v) Liturgy (public prayer of the Church, summit and font, opening of the door); (vi) Profession of faith (identity of the baptized person, Apostolic Creed, Nicene Creed); and (vii) Indulgences (experience of God’s mercy, offering up sufferings).
d. The purpose of the Jubilee is threefold: (i) To celebrate Jesus. In the jubilee year we primarily celebrate Jesus, the incarnate Son of the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. We commemorate his birth, life, teaching, ministry, passion, death, and resurrection. We take conscious and fruitful efforts ‘to know him more clearly, to love him more dearly, and to follow him more nearly.’ (ii) To celebrate the Church, which is our Mother and Teacher. We renew our commitment to our Holy Catholic Church by owing our communion and contribution. And (iii) To celebrate us. We celebrate each one of us, with unique gifts and charisms, vocations and ministries, lifestyles, and values. The Jubilee 2025 invites us to ‘remember’ God, to ‘review’ our relation to God and God’s Church, and to ‘restore’ our relationships with God and God’s people. Celebration of Jesus, Church, and us happens in the context of our synodal journey in communion, mission, and participation.
e. The year of learning and praying (2023-2024): The Holy Father wishes that the four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council be studied to obtain direction and guidance for God’s people. We are asked to read the four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council (Dei Verbum, Sacrosanctum Concilium, Lumen Gentium,and Gaudium et Spes), to understand the general themes of the Council, and to explore Jesus, the Church, and our lives in the world today. The Dicastery of Evangelization has brought forth 35 booklets giving background information to the Second Vatican Council and to the Four Constitutions. In the year of prayer we are called to pray with the Universal Church, in the Local Churches, for the entire humanity. We may reflect on prayer in Christian life, sacraments, sacramentals, pious practices, and popular devotions as well. The Dicastery has published 9 notebooks on prayer.
f. Year of Jubilee (2025): In the Jubilee Year we shall enter the Holy Doors of the four Major Basilicas (Saints Peter and Paul, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul outside the walls). We may also enter the doors for hope, lighting a ray of hope in prisons, homes for the elderly and the dying destitute, hospitals, and refugee camps.
The Ordinary Jubilee 2025, an integral part of the synodal journey, invites us to be pilgrims of hope, givers of hope, and livers of hope.
3. Jubilee 2025 Prayer (after Communion, or at the end of the Mass)
[Kindly translate and print the prayer in your regional language. Translations in the following languages are distributed through Regional Deputy Secretaries of the Bishops’ Councils: Kannada, Konkani (Mangalore), Hindi, Malayalam, Odiya, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu. Languages cited in alphabetical order.]
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity
and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Pope Francis
[Text revised on 10 November 2023
by the National Facilitating Team for Jubilee 2025
Conference of Catholic Bishops of India]