Pope Francis Proclaims 2025 as Jubilee Year: A Tradition of Forgiveness, Hope, and Renewal

By Fr. Ambrose Kimutai Tonui

In a historic proclamation, Pope Francis officially declared 2025 as a Jubilee Year, continuing a centuries-old tradition of spiritual renewal, reconciliation, and grace within the Roman Catholic Church.

The announcement, made through the papal Bull of Indiction Spes non confundit ("Hope does not disappoint"), signals a time of deep reflection, conversion, and unity for Catholics worldwide.

The concept of the Jubilee Year traces its roots to biblical times, as outlined in Leviticus 25:10-12, where it was observed as a sacred period of liberation, debt forgiveness, and land restoration.

The term “jubilee” itself originates from the Hebrew word Yobel, referring to the ram’s horn used to proclaim the occasion. In Christian theology, Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of this ancient tradition, bringing "the year of the Lord’s favor" (Isaiah 61:1-2) to completion.

The Catholic Church’s practice of the Jubilee Year was established in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII, with subsequent popes declaring both “ordinary” and “extraordinary” Jubilee celebrations.

Ordinary Jubilees occur at fixed intervals, while extraordinary Jubilees mark significant spiritual events, such as the 1900th anniversary of Christ’s redemption in 1933, proclaimed by Pope Pius XI, and the 1950th anniversary in 1983, declared by Pope St. John Paul II.

The 2025 Jubilee will be the 27th in Church history. Pope Francis will officially inaugurate it with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve 2024.

The Holy Doors of other major Roman basilicas—St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls—will remain open throughout the year as symbols of God’s mercy and the faithful’s journey toward salvation.

The Jubilee will conclude in dioceses around the world on December 28, 2025, with the final closing of the Holy Doors in Rome taking place on the Solemnity of Epiphany, January 6, 2026.

The Jubilee Year is an invitation for Catholics to seek spiritual renewal, embrace reconciliation, and commit to living in solidarity with others.

As millions of pilgrims prepare to journey to Rome and sacred sites worldwide, the 2025 Jubilee is set to be a profound moment of faith, hope, and transformation for the global Church.

The writer is a Priest at Ndaraweta Catholic Parish in Bomet County