A Jubilee Year is traditionally proclaimed by the Universal Church every 25 years. It is a particular year set aside to encourage the faithful to embark on pilgrimages, to repent of their sins and forgive the sins of others, and to renew a focus on the spiritual life. In the Hebrew tradition, as recorded in Leviticus, a Jubilee was celebrated every 50 years with the freeing of slaves and the forgiveness of debts. In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first Christian Jubilee, and since then the Church has designated each new Jubilee as a special year of grace and forgiveness, offering the faithful an opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. 

As boldly stated in the opening words of Pope Francis' Bull of Indiction, “Spes non confundit. Hope does not disappoint,” hope is the unifying theme of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025. The Jubilee Year began with the traditional opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on December 24, 2024 by Pope Francis and continues until the closing of the Holy Door on January 6, 2026, the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.