The Jubilee is an important historic event for Christianity
Defined as the year of remission of sins and pains, it is also the year of solidarity and sacramental atonement. Also known as Holy Year, it usually recurs once in fifty years, but can recur for extraordinary recurrences as well.
The last Great Jubilee of 2000 has been an epochal event
Pope John Paul II and Rome received millions of pilgrims coming from all around the world to celebrate that unprecedented event. Next one should have been in 2025 , but the last 13 march Pope Francis announced an extraordinary Holy year dedicated to “the mercy of God”. Pope Francis made the announcement in a penitential liturgy for Lent, stating “I have often thought about how the Church might make clear its mission of being a witness to mercy. For this reason, I have decided to call an extraordinary Jubilee that is to have the mercy of God at its center,” he explained.
It will begin the 8th December 2015 with the opening of the holy door of Saint Peter Basilica and will end the 20th November 2016
We know that this event will change the face of the Capital. Tens of millions of pilgrims are awaited, this means that the city has to get prepared. The Pope will leave some “gifts” for the occurrence to the city, maybe some suspended interventions will restart and Rome will have a great positive impulse from it.
The Vatican and the Government are making plans about “proposing a wide city, not condensed in the 4 papal Basilicas but extended even to outer areas”. Churches in the suburbs will be renovated and valued, besides, the areas in front of the railway stations will be rearranged, with shuttles and direct transfers for tourists and pilgrims. There will be a train headed to Piazzale Flaminio where, by a pedestrian path, the believers will reach the Vatican.
As well as an occurrence of joy and devotion it will be a great occasion for Rome and Italy to improve some services and show its greatness. Pilgrims are awaited already for this summer so we have to get prepared making this city still greater and more welcoming.
The last extraordinary Jubilee was called in 1983 by Wojtyla for the fifty years from jesus redemption. The 2000 Jubilee drew some 25 million pilgrims to Rome, representing a huge jump in the number of annual visitors to the ancient city, about 25% more.
Visit Rome during 2015 Jubilee
We are sure this event will be still more suggestive and unique, so don’t miss this one of a kind occasion and come visit the Eternal City of Rome, that will be the center of the world acquiring even more magic and beauty.
Don’t miss this unparalleled event and book in advance a trip to Rome. If you book a tour with Italy Rome Tour, our staff will be glad to show you around the City, offering you the best private guided tour avoiding the crowd of the packed city.
Read also our article about Pope John XXIII and John Paul II canonization, that took place in Rome on April 27, 2014.