On December 24, 2024, on Christmas Eve, the Pope opened the Bronze Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, thus marking the beginning of the Jubilee of 2025. This gesture was subsequently repeated in other basilicas: on December 27, on the Feast of St. John Apostle and Evangelist, in the Lateran Basilica (of which he is co-patron); on January 1, 2025, the solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God, in the Basilica of St. Mary Major; and finally on January 5, the Vigil of the Epiphany, in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
Below, we briefly explain what the Jubilee is and the Jubilee basilicas where it is possible to obtain plenary indulgence.
Origins
Sometimes there is confusion between the first Jubilee and the first Bull that established their frequency, however the Jubilee finds its roots in biblical legislation. It was God Himself who commanded Moses to celebrate a “Jubilee” year every fifty years (Leviticus 25). Over the centuries, this practice passed on to the Christian community, gradually adapting to the needs and traditions of the Church.
In 1300, in response to the great influx of pilgrims to Rome, Pope Boniface VIII published the bull Antiquorum Habet Fida Relatio, which did not establish the Jubilee ex novo, rather it recognised the already existing secular tradition. He conducted various inquiries, even questioning very elderly people, such as a 107-year-old Savoyard, who remembered being brought to Rome by his father a hundred years earlier to gain “great indulgences”. This widespread belief prompted Boniface VIII to solemnly establish what was being transmitted orally, namely the possibility of obtaining the plenary indulgence by visiting St. Peter’s Basilica during the “secular” year.
Originally, according to the bull of Boniface VIII, the Jubilee was to be celebrated every hundred years. However, the periods between Jubilees changed over time:
– Pope Clement VI reduced it to every fifty years (thus resuming the frequency of the Old Testament);
– Pope Gregory XI set it every thirty-three years, in memory of the years of Jesus’ life;
– Pope Paul II finally established the frequency of twenty-five years, so that more faithful, including young people, could enjoy this grace at least once in their lifetime (considering the low life expectancy of those times).
In addition to “ordinary” Jubilees (every 25 years), “extraordinary” Jubilees are sometimes proclaimed for particular circumstances or needs of the Church. The last three extraordinary Jubilees have been:
– 1933-1934: Extraordinary Jubilee of Redemption (1900th anniversary of the Redemption of Christ, traditionally dated to the year 33 AD);
– 1983-1984: Extraordinary Jubilee of Redemption (1950th anniversary of the Redemption of Christ);
– 2015-2016: Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (to centre upon the theme of Mercy).
Since not everyone could travel to Rome, the Popes granted the possibility of obtaining the plenary indulgence also to those who, for economic reasons or other nature, could not travel. Instead of the pilgrimage, other works of piety, penance, and charity could be performed, as is still the case today.
Meaning and spirit of the Jubilee
The Jubilee is a strong time of penance and conversion, aimed at the remission of sins and growth in God’s grace. In particular, the Church invites us to:
1. Renew the memory of our Redemption and evoke a lively gratitude towards the Divine Saviour.
2. Revive in us faith, hope, and charity.
3. Arm ourselves, thanks to the Lord’s particular enlightenment in this period of grace, against errors, impiety, corruption, and scandals that surround us.
4. Awaken and increase the spirit of prayer, a Christian’s fundamental weapon.
5. Cultivate penance of the heart, correct behaviours, and repair with good works those sins that draw God’s wrath.
6. Obtain, through the conversion of sinners and the perfection of the righteous, that God anticipates in His mercy the triumph of the truth taught by the Church.
One of the culminating moments for the faithful during the Jubilee is the passage through the Holy Door, a gesture that must be preceded by a remote preparation path (prayer, penance, and charity) and by a proximate preparation (fulfilling the conditions to receive the plenary indulgence). It is important to remember that one cannot receive the plenary indulgence if one is in a state of grave sin.
The conditions for receiving plenary indulgence are:
1. Sacramental confession.
2. Eucharistic communion.
3. Prayer according to the intentions of the Holy Father (an Our Father and a Hail Mary).
4. Inner disposition of total detachment from sin, even venial (that is, the strong will to longer want to offend God).
If full disposition is lacking or if all conditions are not met, the indulgence is only partial.
Information on the Jubilee of 2025
As usual, this Jubilee was proclaimed by a Bull of Indiction, entitled Spes Non Confundit, which can be consulted HERE. Additionally, the Norms on the Granting of the Indulgence During the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025 are available, and can be read HERE. The official website of the Jubilee of 2025, with information on the organization, events, calendar, and more, can be found HERE.
In the jubilee tradition of the Catholic Church, pilgrims arriving in Rome make a “devout pilgrimage” to the churches enriched with indulgence. This custom dates back to the time of the first Christians, who loved to pray at the tombs of the apostles and martyrs, certain of receiving particular graces through the intercession of St. Peter, St. Paul, and the many martyrs who soaked the land of Rome with their blood.
In 2025, several pilgrimage routes have been proposed, and in each of the indicated churches, it is possible to obtain the plenary indulgence. All the basilicas and churches mentioned below have been enriched with this jubilee gift.
1. Itinerary of the four Papal Basilicas
The four Papal Basilicas of Rome are:
1.1 St. Peter in Vatican City
1.2 St. John Lateran
1.3 St. Mary Major
1.4 St. Paul Outside the Walls
2. Pilgrimage of the 7 churches
The pilgrimage of the Seven Churches, initiated by St. Philip Neri in the 16th century, is one of the oldest Roman traditions. The itinerary, about 25 km long, winds through the entire city, also touching the Roman countryside and the catacombs.
In addition to the four Papal Basilicas, it includes:
2.5 Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls
2.6 Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
2.7 Basilica of St. Sebastian Outside the Walls
3. “Iter Europaeum”
The Iter Europaeum is a pilgrimage through 28 churches and basilicas in Rome, each associated with one of the member states of the European Union for its artistic, cultural value, or for the tradition of hosting pilgrims from that specific country.
4. Female Patrons of Europe and Doctors of the Church
This route offers the opportunity to get to know European saints more closely, particularly those recognised as Female Patrons of Europe or Doctors of the Church. The itinerary leads pilgrims through the alleys of the Monti district, Piazza della Minerva, and other iconic places in Rome, to discover female figures of great importance in the history of Catholicism.
5. Christian Catacombs
Places that are both historical and sacred, where the mortal remains of numerous saints and martyrs are preserved.
6. Other Jubilee Churches
In these churches, catechesis will be held in various languages to rediscover the meaning of the Holy Year. It will also be possible to approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation and enrich one’s experience of faith through prayer.
Basilicas or churches enriched with plenary indulgence
To facilitate visits and devotion, here we are presenting the list of all the basilicas and churches enriched with plenary indulgence for the Jubilee of 2025, accompanied by links to the Jubilee sites, Google Maps, the official web pages of the individual places of worship, and other useful information. Three of them have been repeated because they are included in a double category (Basilica of St. Mary of Minerva, St. Paul at the Rule, and St. Bridget at Campo de’ Fiori).
