We live in a holy year in which the Holy Father invites "to put mercy on trial." But what is a holy year? What does it mean to gain a plenary indulgence? We summarize in ten questions the main details of this jubilee year that will end on November 20, 2016

We live in a holy year in which the Holy Father invites "to put mercy on trial." But what is a holy year? What does it mean to gain a plenary indulgence? We summarize in ten questions the main details of this jubilee year that will end on November 20, 2016 as explained in a Article published in the ABC newspaper

What is a holy year?

The Jubilee of Mercy, also colloquially called the Misericordia, is a jubilee that is celebrated during the extraordinary holy year that began on December 8, 2015 and will conclude on November 20, 2016, to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the closing Confession.

The Holy Year or Jubilee is traditionally a year of forgiveness and reconciliation. So far only 26 ordinary jubilee celebrations have been made. The last was the Jubilee of the year 2000 convened by San Juan Pablo II. An extraordinary jubilee can be summoned on a special occasion or by an event that is of special importance, such as the Holy Year of Mercy.

What was the first holy year in history?

The first jubilee year of history, with the general forgiveness of all sins, took place at 1300 at the initiative of Pope Bonifacio VIII. The idea was to celebrate it every 50 years, following the ancient Jewish custom, but then it was convened every 25 years to ensure that it takes place once for each generation.

What does plenary indulgence mean?

The essentials of the jubilee is to apologize to God and forgive others. The indulgence that is won when crossing the Holy Lock door the traces that leave in the soul and in the behavior the sins already forgiven in the confession. It returns it to the original state.

What is a holy door?

Each of Rome's four basilicas has a holy door, which is usually sealed from the inside so that it cannot be opened. The holy doors are only opened during the Jubilee year so that pilgrims can enter through them and gain the plenary indulgence linked to the Jubilee.

The rite of opening the Holy Door is intended to symbolically illustrate that the faithful of the Church are offered an "extraordinary path" to salvation during the time of the Jubilee.

What are the conditions to obtain plenary indulgence?

The requirements are: pilgrimage to the holy door, sacraments of confession and Eucharist, recitation of the Creed and a prayer for the Pope.

Is it necessary to make a pilgrimage to Rome?

No. Each bishop will open the holy door of the cathedral of his diocese, in the first jubilee that allows indulgences to be gained in thousands of places around the world.

Is it only of interest to Catholics?

No. The Jubilee of Mercy creates greater spiritual harmony with Jews and Muslims, who also consider mercy as the first attribute of the one God.

What happens to the sick and the prisoners?

Sick or disabled people will be able to gain indulgence at home, and prisoners – whom Francis visits frequently – by crossing the door of their cell.

What about very serious sins like abortion?

During the Jubilee Year, all priests will be able to forgive the sin of abortion, usually reserved for the bishop due to its special gravity. Not only the pregnant woman commits this sin, but also all the people – doctors, assistants, managers of specialized clinics, etc. – who physically carry out that procedure or provoke it.

And the sins whose forgiveness is reserved for the Pope?

Last Ash Wednesday, Francisco granted 800 priests "missionaries of mercy", already selected, to forgive sins reserved for the Pope as the desecration of Eucharistic forms, the acquittal to accomplices in sexual sins, the ordination of bishops without permission, the invalid priestly priestly ordination of women or the breakage of the secret of confession.