Misericordiae vultus Latin for 'The Face of Mercy' Papal bull of Pope Francis | |
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Signature date | 11 April 2015 |
Subject | Indiction of Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy |
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Misericordiae vultus (Latin: The Face of Mercy) is a papal bull of indiction issued on April 11, 2015, by Pope Francis, proclaiming an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy from 8 December 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, to 20 November 2016, the Feast of Christ the King. [1]
The 2016 Jubilee was first announced by Pope Francis during a homily at Mass on 13 March 2015, at which he said that the church must always keep its doors open so no one is excluded from God's mercy. [1]
The bull is the fundamental document for the Holy Year that outlines the overall spirit and intentions for the Jubilee, as well as the spiritual fruits that are hoped for.
The proclamation begins "Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy. ... The Father, “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), after having revealed his name to Moses as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6), has never ceased to show, in various ways throughout history, his divine nature. [2] It then quotes from Dei verbum , the dogmatic constitution on divine revelation issued by the Second Vatican Council: "To see Jesus is to see His Father (John 14:9)". [3] "Mercy will always be greater than any sin, and no one can place limits on the love of God who is ever ready to forgive." [4]
The decree also mentions the Pope's hope that the Holy Year would be a time for increased dialogue with Judaism, Islam, "and other noble religious traditions", "... so that we might know and understand one another better; may it eliminate every form of closed-mindedness and disrespect, and drive out every form of violence and discrimination." [5]
In closing, he said, "In this Jubilee Year, let us allow God to surprise us". [6]
In announcing the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy Pope Francis declared, "The Holy Door will become a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instills hope." [4] Prior to the official opening of the Jubilee Year, on November 29, 2015, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Bangui, while visiting the Central African Republic. On December 8, 2015, the Pope formally inaugurated the Jubilee with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica. One week late, on Gaudete Sunday, he opened the Holy Door at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. The other papal basilicas soon followed. The Holy Door at St Paul's "Outside-the-Walls" was opened by the archpriest of that Basilica, Cardinal James Harvey. Pope Francis later opened the Holy Door at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and at the Caritas center near Rome's central train station. [7]
A unique feature of the Jubilee was that, as a sign of communion of the whole church, the Pope requested that every diocese in the world open a similar “Door of Mercy” for the local celebrations of the Jubilee, [8] thus making it unnecessary for pilgrims to travel to Rome in order to obtain the jubilee indulgence.
A jubilee is a special year of remission of sins, debts and universal pardon. In Leviticus, a jubilee year is mentioned to occur every 50th year; during which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest.
Mercy is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts.
A Holy Door is traditionally an entrance portal located within the Papal major basilicas in Rome. The doors are normally sealed by mortar and cement from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They are ceremoniously opened during Jubilee years designated by the Pope, for pilgrims who enter through those doors may piously gain the plenary indulgences attached with the Jubilee year celebrations.
The Great Jubilee in 2000 was a major event in the Catholic Church, held from Christmas Eve 1999 to Epiphany 2001. Like other previous Jubilee years, it was a celebration of the mercy of God and forgiveness of sins. The major innovation in this Jubilee was the addition of many "particular Jubilees" for various groups of persons, and that it was simultaneously celebrated in Rome, Israel, and elsewhere in the world.
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Divine Mercy Sunday is a feast day that is observed in the Roman Rite calendar, as well as some Anglo-Catholics of the Church of England. It is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter, which concludes the Octave of Easter. It is originally based on the Catholic devotion to the Divine Mercy that Faustina Kowalska reported as part of her encounter with Jesus, and is associated with special promises from Jesus and indulgences issued by the Catholic Church.
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As the home of the Pope and the Catholic curia, as well as the locus of many sites and relics of veneration related to apostles, saints and Christian martyrs, Rome had long been a destination for pilgrims. The Via Francigena was an ancient pilgrim route between England and Rome. It was customary to end the pilgrimage with a visit to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul. Periodically, some were moved to travel to Rome for the spiritual benefits accrued during a Jubilee. These indulgences sometimes required a visit to a specific church or churches. Pilgrims need not visit each church.
Misericordia is the Latin for "mercy", derived from misericors, "merciful", which is in turn derived from misereri, "to pity", and cor, "heart", and may refer to:
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The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy was a Catholic period of prayer held from 8 December 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, to 20 November 2016, the Feast of Christ the King. Like previous jubilees, it was seen by the Church as a period for remission of sins and universal pardon focusing particularly on God's forgiveness and mercy. It was an extraordinary Jubilee because it had not been predetermined long before; ordinary jubilees are usually celebrated every 25 years.
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The Sunday of the Word of God is an annual commemoration in the Catholic Church taking place on the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, during January. Pope Francis’ associated motu proprio, Aperuit illis, was published on 30 September 2019 and establishes that "the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time is to be devoted to the celebration, study and dissemination of the Word of God". The day first took place on 26 January 2020.
The Face of Mercy is a 2016 documentary about Faustina Kowalska, her mystical visions, and the role that the Divine Mercy has played in different people's lives. It is narrated by Jim Caviezel.
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