Great Jubilee
The Great Jubilee of 2000 was a worldwide Catholic celebration that lasted 380 days, from December 24, 1999, to January 6, 2001. It focused on God’s mercy and forgiveness and introduced many “particular Jubilees” for different groups, with observances in Rome, the Holy Land, and around the world.
Pope John Paul II led the Jubilee, building on his 1994 Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente, which asked the Church to begin a three-year prep for the new millennium. The three-year plan looked at Jesus (1997), the Holy Spirit (1998), and God the Father (1999), with prayers entrusted to the Blessed Virgin Mary each year. The Jubilee was formally proclaimed in 1998 with the Bull Incarnationis Mysterium, which described it as a chance to open new horizons in preaching the Kingdom of God, while also inviting personal and Church repentance and ecumenical participation.
In Rome, the Jubilee included renovations to churches and the famous St. Peter’s facade, and even the construction of a large parking garage under the Janiculum hill (which uncovered ancient mosaics that were moved to complete the project). The rules for obtaining the Jubilee indulgence were simplified: a person could gain the indulgence by visiting a single church on a single day (for example, St. Peter’s or one of several others in Rome, or a Holy Land church), taking part in a liturgical celebration or spending a half-hour in Eucharistic adoration, and meeting the usual conditions of confession, communion, prayer for the Pope, and renunciation of sin. The indulgence could also be earned by visiting a cathedral or shrine in one’s diocese, or by acts of personal sacrifice or charity, such as giving up smoking or alcohol for a day or donating to help the poor.
The Jubilee featured weekly “particular Jubilees” and daily special Vespers at St. Peter’s. Sundays often highlighted a particular group or social issue. A notable opening moment was the Pope opening the Holy Doors of the major basilicas, starting with St. Peter’s before the Midnight Mass on December 24, 1999. The Holy Doors at other basilicas were opened in the following days, with the door at the fourth basilica opened later to begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, marked by an ecumenical ceremony.
A standout event was the Day of Forgiveness on March 12, 2000, when the Pope asked God to forgive the sins of Christians, especially those done in the name of the Church. Eight senior church leaders led prayers confessing various sins of church history.
From March 21 to 26, the Pope made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, praying at the Western Wall, and celebrating Mass in the Cenacle in Jerusalem. The Cenacle had been closed to past popes, but John Paul II celebrated there and, after the visit, the Israeli government arranged its transfer to the Catholic Church.
World Youth Day 2000 drew about two million young people, with the closing Mass at a large field near Tor Vergata in Rome on August 20, 2000. The Jubilee ended with the Epiphany Mass on January 6, 2001, after the Holy Doors were closed late at night. John Paul II also signed Novo Millennio Ineunte, outlining the Church’s priorities for the new millennium.
The Jubilee inspired broad participation and social efforts. Celebrities and activists urged debt relief for developing nations, while Hands Off Cain called for an end to the death penalty. The Pope urged a moratorium on executions and, where possible, abolition. He also visited a Rome prison and supported peace and reconciliation initiatives. The music for the opening and closing ceremonies included a piece by Arvo Pärt, Cecilia, vergine romana, written for the occasion.
Some Christian groups, such as the Waldenses in Italy, did not participate, but the overall reception of the Great Jubilee was positive, emphasizing forgiveness, unity, and service to those in need.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:47 (CET).