Holy Year 2025 – Interview

Mikuláš, what does the Holy Year mean for the Catholic Church and for believers?

First and foremost, the Holy (Jubilee) Year is focused on Christ, His birth—that is, His incarnation—and His redemptive death and resurrection. By celebrating the Jubilee Years, we commemorate the birth of the Lord. Our calendar begins with Christ’s birth. We mark years as “before Christ” and “after Christ.” Just as we celebrate birthdays in our natural lives, and how a 25th birthday is celebrated differently than a 21st, and how milestone birthdays are celebrated differently than regular ones, we do the same in our relationship with Christ. The main protagonist of Jubilee Years is therefore Jesus Himself. Holy Years are Christ-centered. He is the center of celebration and experience of the “year of grace”—the Holy Year. This is aptly captured by Jesus’ first public appearance in Nazareth, when He was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and began to read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

Could you describe the difference between an ordinary year and a Holy Year?

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), so we can always draw from His fullness, and He is always a flowing source from which we can refresh ourselves and gain strength for our life journey. This is true always, even in an ordinary year. However, during the Holy (Jubilee) Year, some spiritual realities become more intense, for example, through the pope opening the possibility of drawing from the treasure of faith and spiritual goods that Christ has gained for us through His death and resurrection. It is the treasure of mercy and forgiveness, from which the pope—by the so-called “power of the keys” as the successor of St. Peter—can generously distribute, and the faithful can experience this generosity in their personal lives. This treasure of mercy also includes indulgences, which are primarily an expression of God’s boundless love and forgiveness for those who recognize their weakness and fragility and long for the forgiveness of sins and inner healing. Returning to the image of celebrating birthdays: when friends gather for a celebration, they express to the one being celebrated that they are important and cherished. A milestone birthday celebration is greater, more special, and through its festive character we want to express even more clearly what is true in other years: “we love you, you are precious.” By proclaiming the Holy Year, the pope is announcing what is always true: “God forgives, heals, and saves!” The solemnity emphasizes this fact, makes it more prominent, and motivates us to celebrate. The pope reminds us of God’s generosity and His desire for us and for our good. Jesus expresses this divine desire in the Gospel with the words: “I came that they may have life and have it to the full.”

Could you help us look into history so we can better understand how and why this tradition began?

The Jubilee Year was celebrated for the first time in the year 1300. It was proclaimed by Pope Boniface VIII. Before that, they were celebrated in various improvised ways, but it wasn’t a tradition. It was only from 1300 onward that Holy Years began to be celebrated—first every fifty years and later every twenty-five years. The celebration of Jubilee Years is rooted in Scripture, especially the Old Testament. This tradition comes from Jewish custom, where every fifty years the Holy Year—the year of the Lord’s favor—was proclaimed. During that time, fields were left untilled, confiscated land was returned, and slaves were set free. The very word “jubilee” is derived from the Hebrew word “yobel”—from the ram’s horn trumpet that announced the beginning of the Holy Year. According to the law of Israel, justice primarily consisted in the protection of the weak. “You shall declare holy the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you is to return to your own property and to your own clan… you shall not sow and you shall not reap what grows of itself” (Leviticus 25:8–12).

What actually changes in the daily life of the Church and the faithful during the Holy Year? How does this year affect liturgy, worship, and the celebration of faith itself?

As I mentioned in earlier answers, during the Jubilee Year, the pope in union with bishops worldwide sets certain rules and offers various options in the liturgy and the personal life of faith for each Christian (Catholic) to live the Holy Year. For example, a special Mass form was issued for the celebration of the Holy Year, and options for various devotions are offered, such as penitential services, Stations of the Cross, adoration, and other spiritual practices that can be experienced during this year, particularly with the possibility of obtaining indulgences. I see it as guidance on how to prepare one’s heart for God’s gift, how to open oneself to God’s mercy, and how to share it with others.

Why do you think the Strahov Basilica was included among the pilgrimage sites of the Holy Year?

Primarily because back in 1991, it was declared a minor basilica (a church with certain privileges granted by the pope) by Pope Saint John Paul II. Pope Francis left it up to diocesan bishops to decide which churches would be designated as jubilee churches. Archbishop Jan Graubner selected all the minor basilicas in the Archdiocese of Prague: Břevnov, St. James, St. Ludmila, Strahov, and Vyšehrad, and outside the territory of Prague: Svatá Hora and Stará Boleslav. Additionally, two pilgrimage sites were selected: Hájek near Prague (a Franciscan monastery) and Hrádek near Vlašim.

What exactly will be happening at Strahov? What does Strahov offer to pilgrims?

During the Jubilee Year, we have the opportunity to attend Holy Mass every day in the morning and in the evening. The schedule of services is always published on the parish website farnoststrahov.cz and on the basilica noticeboards. Every day there is an opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. It is also possible to arrange a personal and individual meeting with a priest, for example, for a conversation or confession. On the first Saturdays of the month, the basilica is open in the morning for personal prayer or available to pilgrimage groups who notify us in advance and arrange their program with us. For pilgrims who contact us ahead of time, we are happy to accommodate them on other days as well. Otherwise, the basilica is accessible daily outside of Mass times too. Due to the large number of tourists, we must keep the gate under the choir loft locked, but it is still possible to pray there. Before each Mass, the basilica is opened at least half an hour in advance. Throughout the year, we also have various pilgrimages and feasts. For example, the walking pilgrimage to Hájek or the pilgrimage feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15, which is the titular feast of our basilica. There are also feast days connected with St. Norbert, whose relics are kept in the basilica—primarily May 2 and June 6. Then there are feasts related to the service of the pope—February 22, the Chair of St. Peter; June 29, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul; November 6, the day our church was declared a minor basilica; November 9, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica; and the anniversary of the pope’s election. Essentially, all Marian feasts and solemnities are special days when people can make a pilgrimage and benefit from the means offered during the Holy Year. There are regular adoration sessions on Thursday evenings after Mass, and Vespers during Mass every Wednesday. During Lent, we meditate on the Stations of the Cross on Fridays before the evening Mass. This year we are also offering penitential devotions on Fridays after Mass. In May there will be Marian devotions, and in October we pray the Rosary every day before the evening Mass, and on Sundays also before the morning Mass. The offers and program are also published on the monastery and parish websites.

What role does forgiveness play in the Holy Year?

From both the biblical and Church tradition, we can assume that forgiveness plays a fundamental role in the Jubilee Year. As I have already mentioned, the Holy Year focuses primarily on Christ and His redemptive work, a key element of which is the forgiveness of sins. “God takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner but desires that he turn back and live.” (Ezekiel 18:32) When we focus on God's mercy, we must look at the cross. Benedict XVI says that when we look at the cross, we must perceive both the boundless and unconditional love of God, which is shown on the cross, and the horror of sin and evil, which wreaked its havoc on the cross, on Jesus, only to be defeated by Him. The main motivation for forgiving should be precisely that I myself have been forgiven by God. This is how Jesus presents it to us in various parables about forgiveness in the Gospels. So, the essence of the Jubilee Year is that God's mercy is immeasurable, inexhaustible, and healing, and that a person can open up to it, receive forgiveness, and have the wounds of their heart healed. We are invited to expose ourselves to the light of God’s love and do everything possible not only to accept forgiveness but also to forgive those who have hurt us. We are also called to open before God all the broken relationships in our families, communities, and society… to allow God's mercy to shine even into these dark aspects of our lives.

The concept of “indulgence” is historically burdened for many and theologically hard to grasp. Could you explain what it’s about?

The term “indulgence” itself is not to blame for the fact that it was abused in the history of the Church and misunderstood or misapplied by some, which led to the criticism voiced by Luther and others at the time. Pope Francis says: “An indulgence is mercy…” I personally like images and parables—I need them myself to understand things that are sometimes complex. An image can be imperfect, but it can help bring understanding. When I was a little boy and broke a window at home with a ball, my dad came home from work and I told him what had happened. The window didn’t repair itself just because my dad forgave me. It had to be taken to the glazier and fixed, and that was also my responsibility. My dad gave me money and sent me to the glazier. One thing is forgiveness of the guilt, sin, mistake, and another thing is doing everything to make amends. Every sin has consequences. And indulgences relate to those consequences—they are a drawing from the source of God's mercy for the purpose of repairing damage. And because in the spiritual life the damage and consequences are of a spiritual nature, I can, through the opportunity of receiving indulgences, make reparation for these spiritual debts—it is a kind of purification process already during this earthly life. But it is still God who invites me to it and gives me His grace. It is not a matter of works or merit on my part. I am not able by myself to make amends or repair anything bad in my life—this is only possible through Jesus Christ and His mercy. Therefore, when I fulfill certain conditions laid out by the Church—not clinging to sin, receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, receiving the Eucharist, and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father—it is not I who causes the forgiveness or demands it. In doing this, I expose myself to the light of God's grace and open the door of my heart, so that mercy may be made manifest in me, and also for those for whom I pray—in this case, for souls in purgatory. Indulgences can be obtained only for oneself or for souls in purgatory.

Purgatory is also a topic many struggle with. Can you help us understand it?

Pope John Paul II simply said that purgatory is “Christ’s love.” Purification happens both in this life and after death through the Lord Himself—through His transforming power. The Holy Year reminds us of this. In many of his catecheses on this topic, St. John Paul II referred to God’s word: “Scripture expresses in many places the conviction that no one can come before God without having undergone a certain purification. What is destined for God must be perfect. We are called to grow in love during our earthly life and to be found holy and blameless before God. We are to cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit (2 Cor 7:1), because union with God requires absolute purity. Those who, after death, live in a state of purification are already in Christ’s love, which rids them of the remnants of imperfection. Every trace of contact with evil must be removed; every distortion of the soul must be corrected.” So, the term “purgatory” does not refer to a place but to a state of life. I perceive it as something entirely positive, and it can be a source of hope for all of us. Even if we do not manage to prepare perfectly for heaven during our earthly lives, the Lord does not stop working on us. In His love, we mature into perfect unity with God. The Holy Year draws attention to this power of grace. God not only forgives but also transforms, heals the deformities caused by evil, removes the “rust of the soul,” and helps with the consequences of
What would you recommend to people who decide to take part in the activities of the Holy Year?

To those who regularly receive the sacraments, I would like to encourage them to do so more consciously and with joy—that they can draw from the sacrament of reconciliation and the Eucharist, and that in doing so they can encounter God’s love and experience His healing mercy. To those who could receive the sacraments but don’t, I would like to encourage them not to hesitate to use these opportunities. Let them prepare for receiving the sacraments, perhaps with the help of a priest or someone they trust. I always feel great joy and encouragement when someone comes to confession even after a long time and I can assure them that what troubles them, where they have failed, sinned, and confessed it before God, is forgiven. To those who, for various reasons, cannot receive the sacraments, I would say: do not hesitate to open your hearts to God in prayer, in listening to God’s word, and in various liturgical celebrations, so that He may transform you and you may be aware of His love. God longs for our transformation and conversion. Jesus begins His public ministry with the words: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) So, to everyone—including myself—I wish true conversion, which brings life, and to which God responds with love, forgiveness, and abundance of life.

We shouldn’t forget the little ones either. What would you advise children on how to experience the Holy Year and how they can take part in its celebrations?

Children know how to celebrate their birthdays and name days. Their eyes shine when they see the candles lit on the cake and then blow them out. They feel joy—and it’s contagious, so they can share it. Specifically, we can live the Holy Year with children in various ways offered by catechetical centers. It’s probably more up to us—priests, catechists, and parents—what we offer the children and how we help them experience the Holy Year. I believe it’s essential to emphasize the important role of parents—to explain to their children the meaning of faith, the relationship with God, and to guide them toward personal encounters with God. So that the children absorb what can nourish their hearts and, step by step, come to know God's goodness and tenderness through relationships in the family, as Pope Francis often emphasizes. During religion classes, we talk about God’s mercy and explain the meaning of various feasts. We even had a Stations of the Cross service with children.

What do you think the Holy Year can offer to those who are not Catholics but are curious about Christian tradition and spiritual practice?

Personal growth, forgiveness, love, and mercy are overarching themes that every human being can understand, and which everyone either has or can have experience with. Let’s start from a principle emphasized by Cardinal Špidlík. When a journalist once asked him how it was that he was so well-liked by people of different faiths, nationalities, and views, he answered that he always approaches every person as a brother. “I don’t come to others as a Catholic, but first and foremost as a human being and a brother, and the rest follows naturally.” Everything that is truly and genuinely human is also divine. That’s why I believe that even those who are not Catholic or not religious can, on a natural human level, experience goodness, love, hope, and forgiveness during the Jubilee Year. They can take part in lectures, concerts, and other events. One such example is the Night of Churches, which this year takes place on Friday, May 23, and the theme is hope.

Why is mercy so important for the Catholic world?

In Psalm 130 we read: “If you, Lord, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.” The entire work of redemption has one common denominator, and that is mercy. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Therefore, not only for the Catholic world is God’s mercy indispensable—without it, neither the world nor any person could exist. The most fundamental message of the Gospel is Jesus’ invitation in the Gospel of Luke: “Be merciful, just as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

What kind of significance do you think the Holy Year could have for society as a whole, not just for individuals?

If the world were to take seriously the biblical idea of the Holy Year—the year of the Lord’s favor—it could help establish peace, lead to the cancellation of debts for various countries that are economically devastated, and thus help reduce hunger and poverty in many forms throughout the world. In some countries—and I think also here—government programs were carried out under the so-called “year of grace” in the economic sphere, such as debt forgiveness. The Holy Year certainly offers paths toward reconciliation, dialogue, and constructive and just solutions to various conflicts around the world. It means giving more space to charitable and social programs and organizations that want to implement them and supporting them also at the governmental level. There is still much that needs improvement in our own country when it comes to the protection of human life, families, marriage, children, the elderly, and the sick. Mercy is a theme with broad application in every society.

Mikuláš, what does the Holy Year mean to you personally?

Because I am a sinner like anyone else, the Jubilee Year is an amazing opportunity for me to experience God’s tenderness and mercy. That’s why I try to use all the spiritual tools the Holy Year offers. And as a priest, I’m deeply grateful to the Lord that I can grant absolution in His name, celebrate the Eucharist—in short, that I can, through priestly service, mediate to people what God wants to give them. That I can, as an imperfect and fragile person, be present when God gives Himself and opens His heart wide. From March 27 to 31, 2025, I had the opportunity to take part in the National Pilgrimage to Rome for the Holy Year, and I must express my thanks to God and to all those who organized it, because it was beautiful and well prepared. Everything went peacefully and smoothly, which helped us experience those days with spiritual intensity. We passed through the Holy Doors of the papal basilicas—at St. John Lateran, St. Peter’s in the Vatican, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Outside of the shared program, we also had the chance to visit other Roman landmarks, whether significant churches or other remarkable places, of which there is an abundance in Rome, exuding ancient history and the strength of the faith of the early Christians. The weather was favorable, and I was deeply happy to meet some of my current and former parishioners who joined this pilgrimage. It reminded me of the importance of faith and the community of the Church—faith lived in fellowship, in mutual encouragement and enrichment. Given that I am responsible for our basilica, which is a jubilee pilgrimage site, additional responsibilities come with it, which I try to fulfill so that this place is available to those who want to stop here, pray, draw strength, and perhaps receive the sacraments. Fortunately, I’m not alone. There is a community of brothers here, and they help and support me. So I would also like to thank the brothers for their cooperation.