CHICAGO (WLS) — It is a rite seen only once every 25 years.
Between Christmas Eve and Jan. 5, the Pope will open a series of holy doors in the Vatican and throughout Rome, signifying the start of a Jubilee year.
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It is a year of forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope that is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church.
And on Sunday, at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral and in cathedrals and co-cathedrals across the world, Mass was celebrated to mark the opening of the Jubilee.
“We all need a fresh start. It’s kind of a like a religious mulligan. We get to start all over again. We get to have a fresh moment, a new beginning,” said Archdiocese of Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich.
The theme for the 2025 Jubilee year is “Pilgrims of Hope.” It is a year during which Catholics will seek what is known as plenary indulgence, or the cleansing of the soul as if the person has just been baptized.
“To look for the signs in everyday life, where we can bring reconciliation, peace and harmony,” Cupich said. “That’s what it means to be a pilgrim of hope.”
It is a message those in attendance at Sunday’s Mass are taking to heart.
“It’s a time for us to renew our faith and a time for us to dive deeper into hope,” said parishioner Sarah Worth.
The Jubilee is also a time for the faithful to embark on their own pilgrimage, in this case, to Rome. A sophomore at Notre Dame, Sabrina Rivera is going next week with her choir to participate in the kickoff celebrations.
“We’re going over there to sing at different basilicas and different cathedrals and things like that. Really, just celebrate and go throughout the celebration out there in Rome, so we’re ecstatic,” Rivera said.
The Jubilee year will formally conclude in Rome on January 6, 2026, the Day of the Epiphany.
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