Every 25 years, the Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee Year with the pope designating that year's theme. A Jubilee Year or "Holy Year" is an occasion for Catholics worldwide to renew or strengthen their relationship with God.  The first Jubilee was declared by Pope Boniface VIII on February 22, 1300 (Feast of the Chair of St. Peter), to mark the beginning of that century. He later recommended it occurring every 100 years. Pope Paul II later in 1475 proclaimed Jubilee Years to be held every 25 years which was approved shortly after his death by his successor, Sixtus IV. The most recent Jubilee Year in 2000 was the Year of Mercy as declared by Pope John Paul II.

​

For 2025, Pope Francis proclaimed a "Jubilee Year of Hope" based on the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans: "Hope does not disappoint". Pope Francis said, "For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. God’s word helps us find reasons for that hope. Taking it as our guide, let us return to the message that the Apostle Paul wished to communicate to the Christians of Rome.”

​

The faithful are invited to take part in the Jubilee Year by making a pilgrimage to Rome and visiting one of the four major basicilas: St. Peter's Basilica, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the Arch-Basilica of St. John Lateran, and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. For those unable to travel to Rome, they can make a pious pilgrimage to any local church designated by the bishop of that diocese. For the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Bishop Michael G. Duca designated six church parishes as pilgrim sites: St. Joseph Cathedral (Baton Rouge), St. Aloysius (Baton Rouge), Ascension of our Lord (Donaldsonville), Mater Dolorosa (Independence), Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (St. Francisville), and St. Theresa of Avila (Gonzales).​

​

A "pious pilgrimage" to any designated site includes spending a "suitable" amount of time in Eucharistic adoration, either in exposition or before the Tabernacle, meditation, and concluding with praying for the intentions of Pope Francis, the recitation of the "Our Father", any legitimate form of the Creed (Nicene or Apostles), and invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary. During these visits, the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence (a grace granted through the Catholic Church by the merits of Jesus Christ that removes temporal punishment due to sin. The indulgence applies to a sin already forgiven. An indulgence cleanses the soul as if the person had just been baptized. The indulgence can also be applied to the souls in Purgatory. To obtain an indulgence, the usual conditions of detachment from all sin, sacramental confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope, must be met.