The Notion, Division, and Interpretation of the Jubilee

I. Notion. Among the Jews the Jubilee meant a year of remission and joy, according to these words of Sacred Scripture: "You shall also number for yourself seven weeks of years, that is, seven times seven, which together make forty-nine years, and you shall sound the trumpet in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, at the time of propitiation, throughout all your land. And you shall sanctify the fiftieth year, and shall proclaim remission to all the inhabitants of your land: for it is the Jubilee."¹ Among Christians the Jubilee likewise signifies a time of remission, to which several and special benefits are attached, as we shall explain more fully afterward.

¹ Leviticus 25:8 sq.

II. Division. The Jubilee is distinguished as ordinary and extraordinary (cf. canon 931, § 3). The ordinary or greater Jubilee is the one which recurs every twenty-fifth year; the extraordinary or lesser Jubilee is the one which is granted on account of special circumstances, for example after the coronation of the Supreme Pontiff.

The ordinary Jubilee is first celebrated at Rome for an entire year, beginning from the first Vespers of the Nativity of the Lord which precede the twenty-fifth year, up to the second Vespers of Christmas Day of the following year; that year is usually called the holy year. When the holy year has elapsed, the Jubilee is extended for a shorter time to the whole world.

The extraordinary Jubilee is usually celebrated at the same time in the City and in the world, and, according to circumstances, for a shorter or longer time.

A Jubilee is also distinguished as universal and particular, according as it is granted to the whole world or only to a part.

III. Interpretation. Unless the Bull of the Jubilee establishes the contrary, in both the ordinary and the extraordinary Jubilee the rules handed down by Benedict XIV are to be observed.¹

¹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, March 15, 1852. Cf. the Bulls Apostolica indulta, August 3, 1744; Peregrinantes, May 5, 1749; Cum nos super, May 17, 1749; Convocatis, November 25, 1749; Inter praeteritos, December 3, 1749; Paterna caritas, December 17, 1749; Benedictus Deus, December 25, 1750; Celebrationem, January 1, 1751.

1063. Division. - A manifold Jubilee is distinguished:

1. A greater Jubilee, which regularly occurs every twenty-fifth year, which is called a Holy Year. It is also called an ordinary Jubilee because it is fixed and determined by law.

2. A lesser Jubilee, which is customarily granted by individual Supreme Pontiffs after the elevation of each and in other particular circumstances, and is called an extraordinary Jubilee.

3. General, which is granted to the whole world, as the greater Jubilee always is, and sometimes also the lesser Jubilee; but it is customarily granted to the City, or to Rome alone, before it is granted to the world.

4. Particular, which is granted to some province, city, or particular place, such as the most celebrated Jubilee granted to the Church of Anicium whenever the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin falls upon the sacred day of Parasceve.

An entire year is ordinarily granted at Rome for gaining the greater Jubilee, and in the following year it is customarily granted by extension to all other regions of the Christian world. But only fifteen days or three weeks are granted to individual parishes for gaining the Jubilee. Nevertheless, the Bishop can for just causes prolong that time. The lesser Jubilee is also first held at Rome, but for a few weeks, and then is extended to the whole world, so that during the course of the year it can be held for a time to be determined by the Bishop.