Jubilee of Mercy: Closing of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica

November 20, 2016 - The Solemnity of Jesus Christ, the King and Lord of the Universe, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy has finally came to an end with the closing of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica, signalling the end of the extraordinary celebration honoring God's Mercy for humanity.

When the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy began last year, the Catholic Church honors the true meaning of mercy to their devotees and pilgrims through numerous events held throughout the course of the year such as the Jubilee for those Engaged in Pilgrimage Work, Missionaries of Mercy, Jubilee of the Roman Curia, 24 Hours for the Lord, the Prayer Vigil to Dry the Tears, the World Youth Day, the Marian Jubilee and so on, all for the name of God's Mercy for all.

Pope Francis honors the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and as The Pope closed the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, he urged his devotees that even though the jubilee has came to an end, The Pope believes that we will remain open to reconciliation as "God has no memory of sin." At the end of the mass, he gave away his signed letters to the Catholic missionaries from a multitude of countries.

And here the curtain falls to this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. However, that those not mean the true vision of God's everlasting mercy will end as well as long as there are stories of this extraordinary jubilee will be remembered for future generations to come.

Further reading:

• http://www.romereports.com/2016/11/18/pope-francis-to-end-jubilee-year-by-closing-the-holy-doors-at-st-peter-s
• http://www.wnem.com/story/33754208/pope-shuts-holy-door-but-urges-stay-open-to-reconciliation
• https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2016/11/20/closing-year-mercy-francis-says-god-no-memory-sin/

Even as the jubilee ends, let's remember once and for all that we shall always "Be Merciful Like The Father."

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Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee for Prisoners

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June 6, 2016. As the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy is drawing to an end this month, the Jubilee of Prisoners took place at the St. Peter's Basilica with Pope Francis celebrated the occasion with a mass for the inmates seeking hope and for the authorities to grant clemency for prisoners who committed their sins.

Pope Francis, following his Mass for prisoners in St. Peter's Basilica, addressed for better prison conditions and asked global authorities to consider granting clemency to eligible prisoners to respect the inmates' dignity. He emphasized the importance of the need for a criminal justice that opens hope and re-insertion for the felons who committed crimes in the past.

Further reading:

• http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/11/06/popes_homily_for_jubilee_of_prisoners/1270388
• http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-asks-global-leaders-to-grant-clemency-for-prisoners-during-jubilee-89743/

As the Jubilee for Prisoners will mark as one of the final events of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, most of the Holy Doors from all Catholic churches across the world will be closed on the 13th of November and on the 20th of November, the closing ceremony will take place at the St. Peter's Basilica, marking the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, an event where Catholics from across the world will open their hearts and spread mercy to those in need.

Jubilee of Mercy: Marian Jubilee

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Last weekend at the St. Peter's Square, groups of pilgrims and individual participants took part at the Marian Jubilee, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy celebration. There are solemn celebration of the Eucharist in honor of Our Lady at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major as well as the Recitation of the Holy rosary, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and more,

 

In the final day of the Marian Jubilee, Pope Francis believes that "it's often strangers and even people from other religions who remind us of the Christina virtues of humility and thanksgiving, of which Mary is a prime model". He states that Mary didn't just listen, she acted, based on the different angles of religious perspectives.

Further reading: http://www.catholicworldreport.com/NewsBriefs/Default.aspx?rssGuid=pope-francis-the-most-godlike-people-might-not-be-who-you-expect-10429/

Next month, there will be Jubilee for prisoners, and then the Closing of the Holy Doors that will signal the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy celebration.

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee for Catechists

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The Jubilee of Catechists, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, took place on the St. Peter's Square from the 23rd to the 25th of September, 2016, and this event reflects on the theme based on Caravaggio's painting "The Call of Saint Matthew", offered for linguistic groups in the following churches such as the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Basilica of San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini, the Basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, and many others.

Pope Francis celebrated the Jubilee for Catechists during the Holy Mass, which occurred earlier.

The next event for the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will be the Marian Jubilee, happening on the 8th of October.

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee for workers and volunteers of Mercy

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Part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Jubilee for workers and volunteers of Mercy is not just about the Catholic church honoring the goodwill of the workers and volunteers who find mercy from God but it became a historic moment for the Catholic religion as they officially canonized Mother Teresa as a saint.

Mother Teresa, whose real name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, was born in 1910 in the former Yugoslav nation. She first established her Missionaries of Charity in the slums of Kolkata (Calcutta), India, in 1950, after she left her missionary. Known by her white-and-blue sari and sandals, Mother Teresa was well-respected and admired by many Catholics from around the world. However, behind her spiritual success, she was heavily criticized by some, including atheists who believed she was a fraud. Despite all that, Mother Teresa, thanks to her unbiased miracles from God, awarded her a Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and upon her death in Calcutta in 1997 at the age of 87, her miracles was still inspired by her followers, including Blessed John Paul II, who beatified her in 2002.

In that very event, Pope Francis, during a very special mass in St. Peter's Basilica, finally given Mother Teresa the title of Saint and she was therefore known to the Catholic world as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

Full Report: http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/04/europe/mother-teresa-canonization/

Jubilee of Mercy: World Youth Day

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July 26, 2016 - Over 200,000 pilgrims have gathered together in Krakow, Poland, to celebrate the annual World Youth Day and for this year, it's a very special World Youth Day because of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. Krakow Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former secretary of St John Paul II, preached the pilgrims and urged young Catholics to share their faith, experiences and hopes and spread a "message of divine mercy" worldwide.



During the mass, Cardinal Dziwisz said “We come from every nation under heaven, like those who came in great numbers to Jerusalem on Pentecost Day, but there are incomparably more of us now than 2,000 years ago, because we are accompanied by centuries of preaching the Gospel.” The Cardinal preached over 200,000 pligrims from 187 nations in Krakow's Blonia Park, a day before the scheduled arrival of Pope Francis.

Highlights:

Report: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/07/27/wyd-2016-spread-message-of-divine-mercy-krakow-cardinal-says-at-opening-mass/

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities

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From the 10th to the 12th of June, 2016, people who are suffered from life-threatening diseases as well as their disabilities took part of the Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

At Sunday's Holy Mass, Pope Francis called for solidarity and mutual acceptance and decried the pursuit for perfect bodies, saying it leads to society hiding away the disabled to avoid offending the sensibilities of "the privileged few".

Report: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/06/12/pope_francis_homily_for_jubilee_of_the_sick_and_disabled_/1236700

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee for Priests

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From the 1st to the 3rd of June, 2016, priests from all over the world took part of the Jubilee for Priests, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which is ongoing until the 20th of November this year. In the first day of this said event, priests have been gathered for the Eucharistic Adoration, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Pilgrimages to the Holy Door. The second day, which occurred on the 2nd of June, is a retreat preached by Pope Francis. The third and final day is the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where a Holy Mass by Pope Francis took place at St. Peter's Square in Rome.

In Pope Francis' homily during the mass, he told thousands of priests from across the globe "The Heart of the Good Shepherd is not only the Heart that shows us mercy, but is itself mercy,” he said. “There the Father’s love shines forth; there I know I am welcomed and understood as I am; there, with all my sins and limitations, I know the certainty that I am chosen and loved," he told priests.

Report: http://aleteia.org/2016/06/03/pope-francis-celebrates-jubilee-of-priests-on-the-feast-of-the-sacred-heart/

Footage:

The next event for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will be the Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities at the St. Peter's Square on the 10th to the 12th of June, 2016.

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee of Deacons

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Deacons of the Catholic Church from across the globe and their families have been gathered at Rome this weekend to celebrate the Jubilee of Deacons, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which is ongoing until the 13th of November this year.

The Jubilee of Deacons includes making a pilgrimage through one of the Holy Doors in Rome, sessions focusing on the ways Deacons make God's mercy known to the faithful and culminates in a Mass with Pope Francis on Sunday, the 29th of May.

The Diaconate is a ministry of mercy, founded originally so that the Church allows its specialists to do works while priests can focus on celebrating the sacraments.

On the 1st of June, 2016, the Jubilee for Priests will commence followed by the Jubilee for the Sick and Persons with Disabilities on the 10th of June.

Source: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/05/28/deacons_arrive_in_rome_to_celebrate_jubilee_for_deacons/1233030

Jubilee of Mercy: Prayer Vigil to Dry the Tears

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May 5th, 2016 - Pope Francis presided over a prayer vigil "To Dry the Tears" in St. Peter's Basilica during the Feast of the Ascension. This event is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which is ongoing until the 13th of November this year. 

During the Prayer Vigil, the reliquary of Our Lady of Tears of Syracuse were on display inside the basilica for the veneration of the faithful. It was linked to the extraordinary phenomenon occurred in 1953, when a small plaster picture depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary that was hanging above the bed of a young Italian married couple shed human tears.

" At the foot of every cross, the Mother of Jesus is always there.  With her mantle, she wipes away our tears.  With her outstretched hand, she helps us to rise up and she accompanies us along the path of hope.” - Pope Francis

The next event on this ongoing Jubilee of Mercy is on the the 27th of May, the Jubilee for Deacons.

URL: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/05/05/pope_francis_presides_over_prayer_vigil_%E2%80%9Cto_dry_the_tears%E2%80%9D/1227791

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee of Boys and Girls

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Over sixty thousand young people worldwide took part of the "Jubilee of Boys and Girls" at the Vatican City from the 23rd to the 25th of April, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

Over the course of three days, pilgrims from across the globe are able to hear witnesses describing their deep experiences of the Works of Mercy in seven piazzas in the City Center of Rome. Pope Francis, who was present at this Jubilee, managed to hear confessions of young people in St. Peter's Square and offer them a sacrament of reconciliation. Over a hundred and fifty priests were present in the square to hear the confessions.

The next event for the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will be the Prayer Vigil to Dry the Tears on the 5th of May.

Report: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-hears-confessions-at-jubilee-event-for-teens-85240/

Highlights:

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubliee for those devoted to the Spirituality of Divine Mercy

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From the first to the third of April, the entire St. Peter's Square is packed of people to attend the Jubliee for those devoted to the Spirituality of Divine Mercy, part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

During the course of the three-day event, Pope Francis urged the Catholic dioceses worldwide to set up a permanent memorial of the Year of Mercy by establishing a hostpital, home for the aged or school in an under-served area.

The Pope said the idea came to him during a meeting with a charitable organization and he decided to mention it at the vigil with participants of the Europeaqn gathering of the World Apostolic Congress of Mercy and followers of the Divine Mercy devotion.

Pope Francis said that the Divine Mercy Sunday celebration was "like the heart of the Year of Mercy" and he announced that Catholic parishes across Europe would be asked to take up a special collection on the 24th of April as a sign of closeness and solidarity with people suffering from the Eastern Ukraine conflicts.

Source: http://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/pope-asks-for-new-catholic-institutions-of-mercy-charity.cfm

Jubilee of Mercy: 24 Hours for the Lord

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As the Catholic world prepares for the Season of the Lent, Pope Francis began the "24 Hours for the Lord" with a penitential celebration in St. Peter's Basilica, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

The initiative, promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, is on its third year and will place emphasis once again on the importance of prayer, Eucharistic adoration and the sacrament of reconciliation,

At 9:00 PM local time, people received the sacrament of confession and Eucharistic adoration in the churches of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Piazza Navona), Santa Maria in Trastevere (Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere) and the Sacred Stigmata of St. Francis (Largo Argentina). On the next day, the church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart will remain open for confessions until 4:00PM local time.

Source: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/03/04/24_hours_for_the_lord_immersed_in_gods_mercy/1212911

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee of the Roman Curia

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February 22, 2016 - Pope Francis celebrated the Jubilee for the Roman Curia, the Governorate, and the Institutions attached to the Holy See, part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

The Jubilee occurred on the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, which has the rank of "Solemnity" in the Vatican Basilica, at the Paul VI Hall, where employees of the Vatican and its related institutions, with their families, gathered for a meditation led by Father Marko Rupnik, SJ.

Report: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/02/22/pope_celebrates_jubilee_for_roman_curia,_vatican_employees/1210403

The next event for the Jubilee of Mercy is on the 4th of March, 2016, for the 24 Hours for the Lord.

Jubilee of Mercy: Missionaries of Mercy

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On February 10, 2016, Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis commissioned hundreds of "Missionaries of Mercy" at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, which is part of the ongoing celebration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which started last year and ends in the 13th of November this year. 

During the Ash Wednesday Mass, Pope Francis focused on the theme of mercy as the Lenten season draws near. The Holy Father states the day's readings present two invitations; to be reconciled to God and to return to Him with their whole heart. The Missionaries of Mercy "would be a sign of the Church's maternal solicitude for the People of God, enabling them to enter the profound richness of this mystery so fundamental to the faith" according to the Holy Father.

Full Report: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/02/10/pope_commissions_missionaries_of_mercy_on_ash_wednesday/1207414

The next event for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will commence on the 22nd of February for the Jubilee for the Roman Curia, the Governorate and the Institutions connected with the Holy See.

Jubilee of Mercy: Jubilee for those Engaged in Pilgrimage Work

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The Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy, which is ongoing until the 13th of November, 2016, continues with the three-day Jubilee for those Engaged in Pilgrimage Work, which ran from the 19th to the 21st of January, 2016. 

In the last day of the three-day Jubilee for those Engaged in Pilgrimage Work, Pope Francis leads the Jubilee at the Paul VI Hall in Vatican City. The Pope told the participants that making pilgrimages to shrines is one of the most eloquent expressions of the faith of God's people, and is a form of evangelization that needs to be promoted and valued.

URL: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/pope-francis-lead-the-jubilee-for-those-engaged-in-news-photo/506028690

The next event for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will be on the 10th of February, 2016, for the Missionaries of Mercy.

Jubilee of Mercy: Opening of the Holy Door at St. Mary Major

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The Catholic church celebrated the start of the year 2016 with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Mary Major, which is part of the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, running now until November 2016.

Known as the Our Lady of the Snows, this is one of the oldest churches dedicated to the Mother of God, and the largest in the world, making it the perfect place for Pope Francis to choose the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God to open the Holy Door. When the Jubilee of Mercy began last November, the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica is opened to begin the very event and then followed by other cathedrals of the world a month later.

The Jubilee of Mercy continues with the Jubilee for those Engaged in Pilgrimage Work on the 19th of January, 2016.

Report: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-opens-holy-door-at-st-mary-major

Jubilee of Mercy: More Holy Doors opened

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Continuing on the ongoing Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy which began on the 8th of December and onwards until the Feast of Christ the King in November 20th, 2016, the Holy Doors of the Basilicas of St. John Lateran, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and of the Cathedrals of the World.

During the opening of the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, a mass occurred and Pope Francis stressed that despite concerns in light of recent violence that engulfed the world, we must not give into sadness. He spoke of the Holy Door not just here but for the Cathedrals of the World.

Following the opening of the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls was opened by Cardinal James Harvey, the Archpriest of the Basilica. It was a simultaneous opening of the Holy Doors as part of the Extraordinary Jubilee.

With the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls opened, Pope Francis is expected to enter during the ecumenical service on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on the 25th of January next year.

The next Holy Door will be opened at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on New Year's Day.

Further Reading:

1) Pope opens Holy Door in John Lateran Basilica - Vatican Radio

2) Opening of Holy Door at St. Paul Outside the Walls

Jubilee of Mercy: Opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica

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The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy is the first Extraordinary Jubilee year since "The Great Jubilee" of the year 2000 under the rule of Blessed John Pope II and this Holy Year of Mercy, which expresses God's mercy for all, has commenced with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St.
Peter's Basilica (Screencap courtesy of CTV)

Tens of thousands of Catholic pilgrims have been gathered in Rome as they witness Pope Francis opening the Holy Door in the walls of St. Peter's Basilica, The Pope pronounced the words "Aperite mihi Porta lustitae", which is Latin for the words "open to me the gates of justice" and the doors are open.

Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI was present in the opening ceremony as well.

By Tuesday night, the exterior of St. Peter's Basilica will be projected with images by some of the world's environmental photographers in an initiative linked to the ongoing COP21 climate conference in Paris, France.

The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy will continue until the 20th of November, 2016 and this Jubilee was called by the pontiff with the ultimate goal of allowing the Catholic Church to become the witness of mercy.

The next Holy Doors will be opened at the Basilicas of St. John Lateran and of the Cathedrals of the World as well as the Holy Doors of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on the 13th of December, 2015. The Holy Door of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major will be opened on New Year's Day 2016.

Video: https://youtu.be/OFxS2bRRoMg