Jubileum 2000
Bliain Naofa 2000 Holy Year

Holy Years or Jubilee Years reflect the Biblical Jubilees which occured every seven years when the land was left fallow and all debts were forgiven. The first Jubilee Year in the Church was in the year 1300 and have occured periodically since then.
Pope John Paul II's Prayer for the Holy Year.
What is a Holy Year, this includes a fuller history.


1300
The evening of January 1st, 1300 a huge crowd gathered in St. Peter's in the belief that an extraordinary indulgence would be granted; this happened again in the following days. The faithful were pleading an ancient tradition, according which centenary years were to be deemed years of universal forgiveness. And in fact, a few weeks later, on February 22nd, Boniface VIII issued a Bull announcing that every hundred years there would be a Universal Jubilee with general remission of sins and penances.


1350
In the autumn of 1342 a delegation of Romans petitioned Clement VI, who resided in Avignon, to hold the Jubilee every fifty years, so that a greater number of faithful might obtain the plenary indulgence. The Pope did grant their request, announcing the Holy Year of 1350, but did not leave Avignon as the Romans had hoped.


1390
1400

In 1389 Urban VI, from Rome, in the hope of reuniting the Church torn by the great Western Schism, decreed that the Jubilee would be celebrated every 33 years, in memory of the years of earthly life of Christ, and announced one for the following year. He died shortly thereafter and it was his successor, Boniface IX, who celebrated the Jubilee of 1390. However, in 1400 so many pilgrims came to Rome that Boniface IX granted a plenary indulgence again.


1423

In accordance with Urban VI's instructions the next Jubilee was celebrated in 1423, at the 33 year interval, by Martin V.


1450

In 145 it was Nicholas V's turn to celebrate the Jubilee
with much solemnity and great popular participation.


1475

In 1470 Paul II further shortened the interval between Jubilees reducing it to 25 years, as it is now. Sixtus IV celebrated the Holy Year of 1475 which, however, was rather poorly attended.


1500

The Jubilee of the centenary year of 1500 was celebrated by Alexander VI, who prepared it with great care and attention, codifying the ritual which is still pretty much the same in our days. He ordered in fact that the Holy Door be opened in all four Patriarchal Basilicas.


1525

Clement VII celebrated the Holy Year of 1525, when Lutheran doctrines were taking hold in much of Northern Europe and the world was torn by religious wars that eventually caused the "sack of Rome" of 1527.

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Last changes on this page made 23/11/2003