(ANS - Vatican City)– On Saturday 11 April, during First Vespers of Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis delivered the Bull of Convocation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. "Jesus Christ is the Face of the Father’s Mercy" is the opening line of the papal document.

During the ceremony for the delivery of the Bull, Pope Francis gave various extracts of the document and explained the reason for this extraordinary Holy Year, especially dedicated to rediscovering and living mercy. “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. (…) The temptation, on the one hand, to focus exclusively on justice made us forget that this is only the first, albeit necessary and indispensable step. But the Church needs to go beyond and strive for a higher and more important goal.”

After recalling the symbolic significance ​​of the dates of opening and closing of the Jubilee – 8 December 2015, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council; and 20 November 2016, the feast of Christ the King - the Pope also indicated various details of how the Holy Year will be lived: a holy door will be opened in every diocese (in the cathedral or in a church of special significance and, if so wished also in shrines); priests will be sent as "missionaries of Mercy", with "the authority to forgive sins that are reserved to the Apostolic See"; the sacrament of Confession and the practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy will be restored to their central place.

As part of the Church’s endeavour to promote the message of  God's mercy the Holy Father made an appeal "to those people who are far away from the grace of God because of the way they live their lives," particularly those who "belong to a criminal group,” as well as "people engaged in or complicit in corruption."

The rediscovery of mercy has also been highlighted as an opportunity to deepen contacts with Judaism and Islam, "who consider it one of the most defining attributes of God."

In conclusion the Pope invoked the intercession of the Mother of Mercy to help us live worthily the Jubilee, as a time that will serve to seize "the many signs of tenderness that God offers to the whole world and especially to those who are suffering, are alone and abandoned, and without hope of being forgiven and being loved by the Father."

Published 13/04/2015