The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy ( la, Iubilaeum Extraordinarium Misericordiae) was a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

period of prayer held from 8 December 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, to 20 November 2016, the

Feast of Christ the King The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday, is a feast in the liturgical year which emphasises the true kingship of Christ ...

. Like previous

jubilees The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called Lesser Genesis (Leptogenesis), is an ancient Jewish religious work of 50 chapters (1,341 verses), considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well as Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews), where it is ...

, it was seen by the Church as a period for remission of sins and universal pardon focusing particularly on God's forgiveness and

mercy Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...

. It was an ''extraordinary'' Jubilee because it had not been predetermined long before; ordinary jubilees are usually celebrated every 25 years. The 2016 Jubilee was first announced by

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013 ...

on 13 March 2015. It was declared in the pope's April 2015 papal bull of indiction (formal announcement or proclamation), ' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...

for "The Face of Mercy"). It is the 27th holy year in history, following the ordinary 2000 Jubilee during

John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

's papacy. The opening day was also the 50th anniversary of the closing of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

. Francis wished for the Jubilee to be celebrated not only in Rome but all around the world; for the first time holy doors are open in single

diocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associ ...

s, either in the cathedral or in historical churches. The first holy door was opened by Pope Francis in

Bangui Bangui () (or Bangî in Sango, formerly written Bangi in English) is the capital and largest city of the Central African Republic. It was established as a French outpost in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Uban ...

on 29 November 2015, during a tour of East Africa. The Jubilee officially ended on 20 November 2016 with the closing of the Holy Door of

Saint Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal ...

which was open since the Holy Year began the previous December.

Papal bull

The Jubilee of Mercy was formally declared through the papal bull ', issued on 11 April 2015, which emphasizes the importance of mercy and the need to 'gaze' on it; the bull also recalls the need for the Church to be more open, keeping alive the spirit of the

. The holy doors of the major basilicas of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

(including the Great Door of St. Peter's) were opened, and special 'Doors of Mercy' were opened at cathedrals and other major churches around the world. The opening of the holy door at St. Peter's was the first time two popes were present, as Pontiff Emeritus Benedict attended at Pope Francis' invitation. The church held that by passing through these doors, the faithful can earn

indulgence In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence (, from , 'permit') is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins". The ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' describes an indulgence as "a remission before God of ...

s after fulfilling the usual conditions of prayer for the pope's intentions, Confession, and detachment from sin, and Communion. During

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Jesus, temptation by Satan, according ...

of that year, special 24-hour

penance Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of repentance for sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession. It also plays a part ...

services were to be celebrated, and during the year, special qualified and experienced priests called 'Missionaries of Mercy' were to be available in every diocese to forgive even sins normally reserved to the Holy See's

Apostolic Penitentiary The Apostolic Penitentiary (), formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is a dicastery of the Roman Curia and is one of the three ordinary tribunals of the Apostolic See. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tri ...

. In the bull, Pope Francis stated about the opening of the holy door, "the Holy Door will become a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instils hope".

Concessions

It was announced that all priests (during the Jubilee yearending 20 November 2016) would be allowed in the

Sacrament of Penance The Sacrament of Penance (also commonly called the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession) is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church (known in Eastern Christianity as sacred mysteries), in which the faithful are absolved from si ...

to remove censures for

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...

, which outside North America is reserved to bishops and certain priests who are given such mandate by their bishop. By the same letter, Pope Francis also granted permission for priests of the

Society of Saint Pius X The Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) ( la, Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Pii X; FSSPX) is an international fraternity of traditionalist Catholic priests founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, a leading traditionalist voice at the S ...

to validly confer absolution, while under normal circumstances they do not possess the jurisdiction needed to confer this sacrament.

Logo and hymn

The official logo, designed by Father , shows Jesus, personification of Mercy, carrying on his shoulders a "lost man", emphasizing how deep the Savior touches humanity; his eyes are merged with those of the carried man. The background is filled by three concentric ovals, with lighter colors outwards, meaning that Jesus is carrying the man out of the darkness of sin. On one side the image is also joined by the official motto: ''Misericordes Sicut Pater'' (''Merciful Like the Father''), derived from Luke 6:36, which stands as an invitation to follow the example of the Father by loving and forgiving without limits. The official hymn, with most verses derived from the Gospels,

First Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians ( grc, Α΄ ᾽Επιστολὴ πρὸς Κορινθίους) is one of the Pauline epistles, part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and a co-author ...

and

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

, was written by Eugenio Costa, S.J., with original music composed by Paul Inwood.

Main events

The following main events and days of celebration for specific categories of the faithful were scheduled: Burgos holy door jubilee of mercy

* 29 November 2015: opening of a holy door in Bangui's Notre-Dame Cathedral * 8 December 2015: opening of the holy door in St. Peter's Basilica * 13 December 2015: opening of the holy door in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( it, Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura), commonly known as Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas, along with the basilicas of Saint John in th ...

, and in many

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

s around the world * 1 January 2016: opening of the holy door in the

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore The Basilica of Saint Mary Major ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, ; la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris), or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the large ...

* 19–21 January 2016: Jubilee for the pilgrims * 2 February 2016: Jubilee for consecrated lives, closing of the "Year for Consecrated Life" * 22 February 2016: Jubilee for the Roman Curia * 4–5 March 2016: penitential liturgy and call for "24 Hours for the Lord" * 20 March 2016: Palm Sunday * 3 April 2016: Jubilee for all those who find themselves in the spirituality of mercy * 24 April 2016: Jubilee for newly confirmed aged 13–16 (to older young people is dedicated the World Youth Day in July) * 27–29 May 2016: Jubilee for deacons * 3 June 2016: Jubilee for priests * 12 June 2016: Jubilee for diseased people and those who assist them * 26–31 July 2016: Jubilee for young people and

World Youth Day 2016 World Youth Day 2016 (WYD 2016; pl, Światowe Dni Młodzieży 2016) was the 15th World Youth Day, an international event organised by the Catholic Church and focused on faith and youth that took place from 26 to 31 July 2016 in Kraków, Polan ...

in Kraków, Poland * 4 September 2016: Jubilee for volunteers * 25 September 2016: Jubilee for catechists * 8–9 October 2016: Marian Jubilee * 6 November 2016: Jubilee for prisoners; some prisoners were to attend celebrations in St. Peter's Basilica * 11–13 November 2016: Jubilee for the Socially Excluded * 13 November 2016: Jubilee for the Socially Marginalized in St. Peter's Basilica; closing of holy doors everywhere except St. Peter's Basilica * 20 November 2016: closing of the holy door in St. Peter's Basilica

''Misericordia et misera''

''Misericordia et misera'' is an

Apostolic letter Ecclesiastical letters are publications or announcements of the organs of Roman Catholic ecclesiastical authority, e.g. the synods, but more particularly of pope and bishops, addressed to the faithful in the form of letters. Letters of the pop ...

authored by

and scheduled for release on 21 November 2016 following the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. He signed it in a public ceremony on 20 November and presented copies to representatives chosen to represent the universal audience for his message: Philippine cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Scottish archbishop

Leo Cushley Leo William Cushley (born 18 June 1961) is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh in Scotland. He previously served as head of the English language section of the Vatican Secretariat of State. Early life Leo Cushley was bo ...

, two missionary priests from Brazil and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Roman deacon and his family, two women religious from South Korea and Mexico, three generations of a U.S. family, an engaged couple, religious instructors, and two people representing the disabled and the sick. The title of the document references

Saint Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Afr ...

's commentary on

Jesus and the woman taken in adultery Jesus and the woman taken in adultery (or the ) is a passage ( pericope) found in John 7:53– 8:11 of the New Testament. It has been the subject of much scholarly discussion. In the passage, Jesus was teaching in the Second Temple after co ...

in the

Gospel of John The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...

. After Jesus challenges her accusers and they withdraw, Augustine says that only ''misera et misericordia'' (misery and mercy) remain. Pope Francis reverses the two terms Augustine used. The document was released at a press conference hosted by Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation.

Media responses

Art historian

Ralf van Bühren Ralf van Bühren (born 3 February 1962) is a German art historian, architectural historian, church historian, and theologian, who teaches at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce in Rome. His art history lectures are open to students of US un ...

said that the Jubilee was an excellent opportunity for cultural and

arts journalism The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both ...

, because

has been an important subject of Christian

iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...

. Since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, many representations in art encouraged people to practice the

works of mercy Works of mercy (sometimes known as acts of mercy) are practices considered meritorious in Christian ethics. The practice is popular in the Catholic Church as an act of both penance and charity. In addition, the Methodist church teaches that the ...

and helped "the audience to explore mercy in their own lives", as Bühren explains using the example of

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of h ...

's painting in Naples. He felt that in this way the Jubilee Year of Mercy "issued a call to

journalists A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradit ...

experts and

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social me ...

communicators to report on facts, people, ideas and evangelization by using Christian art to explore

benevolence Benevolence or Benevolent may refer to: * Benevolent (band) * Benevolence (phrenology), a faculty in the discredited theory of phrenology * "Benevolent" (song), a song by Tory Lanez * Benevolence (tax), a forced loan imposed by English kings from ...

, pardon, and

". Bühren 2017, p. 80.

Notes

References

External links

*
Further materials for the Hymn
{{Catholic Church Jubilee (Christianity) 2015 in Christianity 2016 in Christianity Pope Francis