The 2025 Jubilee Year 'Pilgrims of Hope' has come to an end.
The Jubilee Year began with the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and concluded on the Feast of the Epiphany 2026.
Archbishop Bernard celebrated Mass for the Solemn Opening of the Year, at St Chad’s Cathedral, on Sunday 29 December 2024.
A Diocesan Mass of Thanksgiving for the Jubilee Year was held on Monday 8 December 2025.
The Diocesan Closing Mass for the Jubilee Year was held on Sunday 28 December 2025.
The official Jubilee Icon was 'on tour' in our Archdiocese in early 2025. You can view photographs here
Paul Northam, from the Office for Mission, was the Diocesan Co-ordinator for the Jubilee Year 2025.
Jubilee Year FAQs (including our Jubilee churches/sites)
Jubilee Prayer
Jubilee Hymn
Ideas to celebrate the Jubilee
Jubilee information and links
Jubilee News, Events, Updates
Jubilee Calendar
Jubilee Resources
Guidance: How can I obtain the Indulgence?
Organising a Jubilee Pilgrimage to Rome
When is the Jubilee?The Jubilee Year runs from the opening of the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on Tuesday 24 December 2024 to the Feast of Epiphany 2026.
Archbishop Bernard celebrated Mass for the Solemn Opening of the Year, at St Chad’s Cathedral on Sunday 29 December 2024.
What is a Jubilee?The Jubilee Years, also known as Holy Years, started in 1300AD and recall the great jubilee of Israel: a time for land to be rested and debts to be cancelled, when God called people to be reconciled with one another and with Him. They now occur every 25 years, although the next will be 2033 – the anniversary of Christ’s death and resurrection and the decent of the Holy Spirit.
These Years, the Church explains, are years “of reconciliation between adversaries, of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, ‘…and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters’”
Indulgence During the Jubilee YearTo help us to respond to this high calling during the Year, a plenary indulgence can be gained not only by making a pilgrimage to a Jubilee church, but by devotedly performing one of the acts prescribed by the Church
Jubilee Churches in our ArchdioceseThe following Jubilee churches and sites have been chosen by His Grace as particular places of pilgrimage, and for the granting of the indulgence:
St Chad’s Cathedral – Shrine of St ChadSt Anne’s Church, Caversham – Shrine of Our Lady of CavershamOur Lady of Lourdes Church, Hednesford – Shrine of Our Lady of LourdesSt Michael’s Church, Penn, Wolverhampton – Shrine of Blessed Carlo AcutisThe Immaculate Conception & St Egwin Church – Shrine of Our Lady of EveshamHarvington Hall, near KidderminsterBl. Dominic Barberi Church & St John Henry Newman College, Littlemore, Oxford
The Archdiocese has developed a simple leaflet guide to the Jubilee, plus a poster - now available to download and print.
Diocesan Guide to the Jubilee
Jubilee Year poster A3
Download logo/flyers/newsletter inserts
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
To start you thinking…Can you make your parish, home or school a focal point for celebration, prayer and catechesis; sharing the Joy of the Jubilee? Can you pray the Jubilee Prayer regularly during this Year? Ideas will be added to this page, but you could try the following:
More information and links:
Official Jubilee website
Letter of Pope Francis announcing the Jubilee Year
A Chapter Mass at St Chad's Cathedral was also a Diocesan Mass of Thanksgiving for the Jubilee Year Read more
The Jubilee Year work of pupils takes centre stage at a special live stream event as they showcase their amazing achievements. Read more
David Harris, Adviser for Catholic Education in the Archdiocese, reflects on his time in Rome during the Jubilee of Education Read more
New Pilgrimage Guide booklet launched to welcome visitors to the holy site in Worcestershire Read more
Catholic schools across England and Wales are being recognised by the Vatican for their extraordinary response to the Jubilee Year Read more
The charity Pact invites all parishes to support this National Day of Prayer and Action on Sunday 12 October Read more
A Jubilee Year celebration at St Chad's Cathedral, uniting members of the Vincentian Family from across Great Britain Read more
Compassion, Faith, Prayer and Community. An update on the 'joyful' pilgrimage which included several stops in our Archdiocese. Read more
Children and parishioners from St Gregory’s Catholic community united for a Jubilee Walk through Stratford-upon-Avon, celebrating faith, hope, and creation across local churches. Read more
Parishioner Joe Northam shares her third blog post as she walks the St Matthew's Way, part of the national Pilgrimage of Hope. The walk converges in Nottingham this weekend. Read more
Now a week into the national Pilgrimage of Hope (St Matthew's Way route), parishioner Joe Northam shares her second blog post Read more
Diocesan parishioner Joe Northam shares her thoughts just before starting the 205-mile western route - the St Matthew's Way - in celebration of this Jubilee Year Read more
Sharing the faith during this very special year in the beautiful parish setting of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine of Alexandria Read more
A most joyous occasion held in the grounds of St Mary's College, Oscott Read more
Hundreds join together for reflection, worship and a deepening of faith during a successful three-day programme of activities Read more
Focusing on the presence of Jesus, charity, Christian unity and prayer this Jubilee Year Read more
On Saturday 5 July young people and young adults from across the Archdiocese of Birmingham gathered at St Chad’s Cathedral joining the Kenelm Youth Trust for a day exploring what it means to be a “Pilgrim of Hope." Read more
To mark the Jubilee Year of Hope, the Ethnic Chaplaincies joined other Pilgrims in the Church for a first Saturday Mass on 5 July. Read more
Father Hudson's Caritas invites you to take part in their self-guided Birmingham City Centre Pilgrimage of Hope Read more
School children help create special area for the local community in celebration of the Jubilee Year Read more
All welcome to tap into this great resource as we continue our journey through 2025 as Pilgrims of Hope Read more
In this video Br John Church, a Dominican friar based at Blackfriars in Oxford, reflects on the Jubilee theme of Rest and Worship, drawing from his own experience training for the priesthood. Read more
Parishioners encouraged to join this historic Pilgrimage - calling at several churches in our Archdiocese this September. Registration for Day Pilgrims closes this Thursday, 21 August. Read more
Parishioners are making 2025 a year to remember Read more
Coventry Foodbank's Hugh McNeil discusses 'Food Poverty' in the latest video focusing on the Jubilee Year themes. Please help if you can. Read more
Parishioners hit the road to clock up the first 22 miles of a 500-mile route Read more
All invited to join St Patrick’s, Coventry, on the 500-mile French route of the Camino (for one mile only!) Read more
Retired Hospital Chaplain of the Archdiocese, Fr Michael Stack, concelebrates Mass in Rome Read more
CAFOD's Helen Moseley discusses 'Managing Debt' in the latest video focusing on the Jubilee Year themes. She reveals 54 countries in the world are struggling under the burden of unpayable debt. Read more
The faithful are invited to embark on a spiritual journey to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Hednesford as part of special Jubilee Year celebrations. Read more