Jubileusze w Kościele katolickim (1300-2000)

Abstract

The Catholic Church has taken up the idea of the particular year of grace from the Old Testament, and put it into existence under the form of the Jubilee Year or the Holy Year. From 1300 to 2000 twenty six jubilees had been announced in the Catholic Church. The Jubilee Year of 1300 was the ground for all the other jubilees in the Catholic Church. The bulla of Pope Boniface VIII Antiquorum habet of 22nd February 1300, one that announced the first Jubilee in the Church, contained instructions that the faithful who visited the basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, regretted for their sins and came to confession, would obtain general absolution of all their sins. The condition for a complete absolution of sins was the following: a visit to St. John’s basilica in Lateran, then the basilica of the Greater Mother of God), genuine repentance and confession. The first and all the successive Jubilees were held in Rome. It was later that popes began to spread them over the whole world. The Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 was held both in Rome and in all the particular Churches. It focused on two places, i.e. Rome and the Holy Land. In order to take part in the celebrations of the Great Jubilee, one should have on pilgrimages to the places appointed by the pope and local bishops. The Jubilee of the Year 2000 was supposed to prepare the Church to the third millennium. Therefore for many reasons it was exceptional in relation to all the hitherto jubilees, although it had preserved the main conditions established during the first jubilee. On the occasion of the celebrations related to that jubilee, the Church stressed ecumenism as the element of reconciliation and fellowship of all the people believing in God. It was the time of encounter for Jews, Christians, Muslims and all the people who contribute with their faith to making peace. It was also the time of repentance and reconciliation, and the time of joy, for each man who participated in it could take advantage of the opportunity to obtain grace of God’s mercy.