Only every 25 years

The search for saints in the jubilee year

Dignitaries and faithful during the procession in the heart of Salzburg.(Bild: Erzdioezese Salzburg (eds) / Michaela Greil)

Pope Francis made the call, the Archdiocese of Salzburg followed: Archbishop Franz Lackner opened the Holy Year 2025 with a festive mass and subsequent procession in the old town. It is a church jubilee year that only comes around every 25 years.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Holy Year every 25 years - and has done so since 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Holy Year. The motto for the new year is "Pilgrims of Hope". Pope Francis officially opened it on December 24 by pushing open and passing through the otherwise closed Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.

Festive mass and procession
And he called on all bishops worldwide to celebrate an opening mass. Archbishop Franz Lackner, head of the Salzburg archdiocese, responded to the call: together with Vicar General Harald Mattel, Archabbot Korbinian Birnbacher of St. Peter's Abbey and Episcopal Vicars Gottfried Laireiter and Gerhard Viehhauser, the archdiocese celebrated in the Franciscan Church, followed by a procession and a festive mass in Salzburg Cathedral.

Sermon by Archbishop Franz Lackner(Bild: Erzdioezese Salzburg (eds) / Michaela Greil)

"So let us set out on a quest in our church, among ourselves and within ourselves to rediscover the saint in our midst and renew the undying hope of salvation," said Archbishop Lackner in his sermon.

The focus of the celebrations in Salzburg will be on 15 basilicas and places of pilgrimage.