The new Jubilee website of the German Episcopal Conference is now online
A new website of the German Bishops’ Conference dedicated to the Jubilee of 2025 has been live since March 11 and can be found at www.heiligesjahr2025.de The portal provides users with news on the Holy Year, suggestions for prayer, information on pilgrimages to Rome, a glossary, material to download and useful documents.
The auxiliary bishop of Münster, Bishop Rolf Lohmann, who is heading up the German Bishops' Conference planning team for the Holy Year 2025, is coordinating the program and organizational issues related to the Jubilee at a national level. In a letter to the Catholic parishes of Germany he underlined that “Pope Francis chose the motto ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ because pilgrimage characterizes the Church itself.”
He added: “By its very nature, the Church is a ‘pilgrim’, it is not static and perfect, but is on its way towards its goal of being completely renewed in Christ. The Church is engaged in a global synodal journey lasting several years, during which Pope Francis is questioning the ecclesial community on various points. He deliberately wants to listen to the voices of the many local churches. The word ‘Synod’ means nothing more than ‘common journey’ - being on a journey together. It is precisely with this attitude that we in Germany too travel the synodal path together. Together with all the people of God and listening to all people of good will, we must look for ways to talk about the reason for our hope."
Bishop Lohmann has already invited the German faithful to participate in pilgrimages in preparation for the Holy Year: “A varied program awaits you in Rome. There will be many opportunities to come into contact with the Christian faith in all its plurality. (...) Let's prepare together for the Jubilee and celebrate it together in Rome, but also in our dioceses and parishes. Undertake your personal pilgrimage, be pilgrims and witnesses of hope!”
Bishop Lohmann recalled that the Holy Father has invited everyone to “rediscover the texts of the Second Vatican Council and enter a 'school of prayer' in preparation for the Holy Year. Together, we want to discover and deepen the practice of individual and community prayer in 2024."
The website for the Holy Year therefore also contains suggestions for prayer, which will be continuously expanded.
In addition to the website and the letter from auxiliary bishop Rolf Lohmann, the official German version of the Holy Year hymn is also available on the site. The original Italian text has been translated into German and the scores are available in choir and solo versions.