JUBILEE 2025

Pilgrims of Hope

A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on the spiritual life. The 2025 Jubilee is centered on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”

Jubilee — A Year for “New Strength

The 2025 Jubilee is centered on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” As His Holiness Pope Francis so beautifully expressed it, “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision." The Jubilee began on December 24, 2024, with the official Opening of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, and runs to January 6, 2026, the Feast Day of Epiphany, with the Closing of the Holy Door.

A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on the spiritual life. In the Hebrew tradition, as recorded in Leviticus, a Jubilee was celebrated every 50 years with the freeing of slaves and the forgiveness of debts.

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee, and since then the Church has designated each new Jubilee as a special year of grace and forgiveness, offering the faithful an opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. 

WHY HOLY DOORS?

The "Holy Door" symbolizes Jesus Christ as the door to salvation — the passage from sin to grace (John 10:7). A very important symbolic act performed by each pilgrim during a Jubilee has been to pass through a Holy Door and even kiss its jamb. When pilgrims cross it, they symbolically enter into God's presence and embrace new life in the Lord Jesus.

The 5 Holy Doors of the 2025 Jubilee

  • ST. PETER'S

    Basilica

Item 1 of 5

The Jubilee Prayer

What does it mean to be a Pilgrim of Hope?

“The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life.” - Pope Benedict XVI

The word "pilgrim" comes from the Latin word peregrinus, which means “foreigner" or "stranger.” It is made up of the words per, meaning “through,” and ager, meaning “field” or “land.”

To the world, hope is wishful thinking—I hope my husband gets the car washed; I hope I win the lottery. For the Christian though, hope is a theological virtue that says and reveals something about God Himself. For the Christian, hope is placing trust in Christ's promises and relying not on one’s own strength, but on the grace of the Holy Spirit. Hope is the desire for eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

To be a Pilgrim of Hope is a choice to live differently from the world; to sacrifice all for the pursuit of Heaven.

Jubilee Hallmarks

The idea of a Jubilee Year has roots in the Old Testament. In Leviticus 25, God commanded the Israelites to observe a Year of Jubilee every fifty years. The year was hallmarked by four practices: debts were forgiven, slaves were freed, property was returned/people sojourned home, and rest was observed. The point was to learn and grow from what was practiced.

Today, the Jubilee Year offers faithful an unique spiritual and practical opportunity to employ these ancient disciplines as well. Below are the four hallmarks with some guiding questions to engage this Year of Hope.

Obtaining a Jubilee Indulgence

The Vatican has detailed how to obtain plenary indulgences — removing temporal punishment for sin through Christ’s merits — during the 2025 Jubilee Year. Requirements: detachment from sin (even venial), confession within about 20 days, Communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions (e.g., an Our Father and Hail Mary). Each indulgence requires a separate Communion and prayer, ideally on the day of the indulgence act. Only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day, but a second is possible if applied to souls in purgatory. 

Ways to obtain the indulgence include:

Blessed Karl’s Relic in Rome

A Jubilee Companion

From the earliest days of the Church, the saints have been intercessors and spiritual companions to the faithful on pilgrimage.

For those journeying to Rome for the Jubilee Pilgrimage, we invite you to add the Church of Santa Maria dell’Anima to your pilgrimage destinations. It is the only Church in the Eternal City with a permanent shrine and relic of Blessed Karl for public veneration.

Unable to travel to Rome? With nearly 100 shrines to Blessed Karl globally, consider making a pilgrimage to one as as part of your local Jubilee devotions. For a complete shrine listing, click here.

The Church of Santa Maria dell'Anima, Rome

The Church of Santa Maria dell'Anima (Our Lady of the Soul) is located in central Rome just steps from Piazza Navona. With roots as early as the 14th century, it became known as the German national church, hospice, and parish for the German-speaking people in Rome. The Church’s Pietà side altar contains a 1st relic of Blessed Karl—the only permanent shrine with a relic of Blessed Karl available for public veneration in the Eternal City.

Jubilee Links

Jubilee Churches

Events Calendar

Pilgrim Office

What is a Jubilee?

Past Jubilees