Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Jubilee 2025, also known as the Holy Year, was inaugurated on December 24th by Pope Francis in Rome and will be celebrated throughout the entire year of 2025. In the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, the Jubilee Year was solemnly inaugurated at the Diocesan and Parish levels on December 29, 2024, through a special celebration of the Holy Eucharist, at Old Goa.
The Solemn Opening of the Jubilee 2025, was celebrated by His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão at 3:30 p.m. in Old Goa along with Auxiliary Bishop Simiao Fernandes and other priests and lay faithful. The Eucharist was preceded by a short preparatory service at 3:00 p.m. explaining the importance of Jubilee and explaining the Logo, marking a meaningful start to this significant journey.
In His homily Auxiliary Bishop Simiao invited the people to be pilgrims of hope while being in Union with Christ and specially to strive to make our families full of hope and Love for each other.
A special Jubilee Cross was blessed and will be kept at Se Cathedral Old Goa. Jubilee is also a time for penance and renewal of once life. It is also a time when one can gain indulgence. In the Catholic Church, an indulgence is the remission of punishment caused by sin. In our Archdiocese one can gain indulgence during the jubilee year either by entering the doors of one of the three Parishes, which are, St. Jerome’s Church, Mapusa, Se Cathedral, Old Goa and Holy Spirit Church, Margao. Or one can visit pious places like St. Christopher Church, Tivim, St. Anthony’s Church, Siolim , Bom Jesus Basilica, Old Goa, Holy Cross Shrine,Bambolim, Monastery, Pilar, Old Church, Sancoale and St. Anthony’s Chapel Deussua. Or by doing acts of Mercy.
In his address the Archbishop wished that this jubilee year may be fruitful for our families, for our small christian communities, for our Parishes and our society.
Finally Fr. Leo Fernandes gave a vote of thanks expressing gratitude towards all who helped in preparing the planner and other resources for the Jubilee year in the Archdiocese.
