Home
 Holy Year 2025 As we approach Christmas and the New Year, the 2025 Holy Year, the Jubilee Year of Hope, is coming to an end. Let’s take a quick look back at the Holy Year, its major events, and the Vatican City philately associated with the Jubilee. The theme for the Holy Year (Jubilee of Hope) was first announced in February of 2022, and was later formalized by Pope Francis in the papal bull of indiction "Spes Non Confundit" ("Hope Does Not Disappoint"). Starting in November of 2021, the Vatican Post Office issued five souvenir sheets to celebrate the upcoming Holy Year under the general title “Pilgrimage Around the World on the Way to Jubilee 2025”. 
 
  Souvenir Sheets for the “Pilgrimage Around the World on the Way to Jubilee 2025” Oceania, Scott 1782 (2021) Asia, Scott 1799 (2022) Africa, Scott 1821 (2023) America, Scott 1842 (2023) Europe, Scott 1860 (2024) On Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, Pope Francis inaugurated the Jubilee Year by opening the Holy Door at Saint Peter’s Basilica prior to the annual Christmas Eve Mass. In subsequent days, the Holy Doors at the three remaining Major Papal Basilicas—Saint John Lateran, Saint Mary Major, and Saint John Outside the Walls—were opened. Prior to those doors being opened, the pope took the unique step of opening a special Holy Door at the Church of Our Father at Rebibbia Prison in Rome, calling attention to his desire to remember all marginalized groups, including incarcerated prisoners, around the world. During the course of the Holy Year, numerous Jubilee Celebrations were held, focused on many special groups traveling to the Vatican as part of Jubilee pilgrimages. Following his election as pope after the death of Pope Francis in April, Pope Leo XIV was very visible during the balance of the year at these Jubilee Celebrations. Perhaps the most memorable event was his appearance at the Jubilee of Youth in August at the University of Tor Vergata in suburban Rome. He arrived by helicopter to see a throng of an estimated one million young people, which to date is the largest audience for the pope. Pope Leo also celebrated Mass at the final major Jubilee Celebration, the Jubilee of Prisoners, last Sunday at Saint Peter’s Basilica. This week, Pope Leo will celebrate two Christmas Masses, the traditional Mass on Christmas Eve as well as one on Christmas Day, both at Saint Peter’s Basilica. Over the next two weeks, the Holy Doors will be closed at the five sites discussed earlier: The four stamps issued in 2025 for the Holy Year shown at the top of the article picture Pope Francis opening the Holy Doors at Saint Peter’s and Rebibbia Prison, as well as photos of the Holy Doors at the four Papal Basilicas. The annual Vatican City postal envelope also depicts the pope opening the Holy Door at Saint Peter’s, and features the logo for the Jubilee Year in the postal indicium. The act of closing of that door, as well as the 2025 Holy Year, now falls to his successor, Pope Leo XIV. REFERENCES: |
