The Diocese of Beijing officially launched its Jubilee Year on the evening of Dec. 28, 2024, with an opening ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Saviour.
Presided over by Ordinary Bishop Joseph Li Shan and Coadjutor Bishop Matthew Zhen Xuebin, the event drew priests, nuns, and numerous lay faithful who gathered to mark this significant occasion in the capital of the People’s Republic of China, according to a report by Vatican’s Fides News Agency.
The ceremony featured the public reading of Spes non confundit, the papal bull proclaiming the Jubilee, followed by a procession through the Holy Door while singing the Prayer of the Saints.
The Jubilee Year is dedicated to the theological virtue of hope and coincides with a special Year of the Family, underscoring the diocese’s dual focus on spiritual renewal and familial strength.
Pilgrims of Hope
Guidelines for observing the Jubilee are outlined in the document Pilgrims of Hope and Builders of Peace, which draws from the papal bull and Pope Francis’s letter on commemorating saints in local churches.
Key initiatives include the establishment of a “Day of Saints,” beginning Nov. 9, 2025, which will honor saints, blessed, venerables, and servants of God with ties to Beijing.
Among those remembered are Blessed Odorico da Pordenone, Blessed James Zhou Wenmo, and Venerable Matteo Ricci.
The diocese has also designated nine churches and shrines as destinations for Jubilee pilgrimages, emphasizing the spirit of missionary conversion.
Reflecting on the apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium, the diocese envisions a Church “open to all and for all,” where parishes welcome and serve with fervor and joy.
Nationwide Jubilee Celebrations
Other Chinese dioceses joined in Jubilee celebrations on Sunday, December 29, the Feast of the Holy Family. In Hangzhou, Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang urged the faithful to “treasure this Jubilee” and to grow in faith, hope, and charity.
He expressed his prayerful hope that the Jubilee would lead those who have lost their way to find it again, saying, “Light, peace and joy will accompany us on this Jubilee journey.”
In Taiyuan, Bishop Paul Meng Ningyou reminded the faithful that “our greatest hope is in God,” while Bishop Peter Ding Lingbin of Lu’an Diocese encouraged a “pilgrimage of hope, guided by the glorious Cross of Christ.”
Cultural Expressions of Faith
The Jubilee message resonated deeply among ethnic minority groups in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, where traditional costumes and native music highlighted the celebrations.
In Guiyang, Bishop Paul Xiao Zejiang led a procession to the cathedral, which featured life-size cardboard cutouts of Pope Francis.
The bishop called on participants to “actively participate in the Jubilee with faith, allowing hope to shine in their hearts and in the world.”
A Call to Renewed Faith
In Handan, Hebei Province, Bishop Joseph Sun Jigen presided over a solemn Jubilee celebration.
The diocesan Vicar Xu Shuwen elaborated on the spirit of the Jubilee, encouraging the faithful to embrace the special conditions for obtaining the plenary indulgence offered during this time of grace.
