Incarnationis mystery
Incarnationis mystery (lat .: The mystery of the Incarnation) is the name, subtitled "Towards the Third Millennium" called, preaching bull of Pope John Paul II. , With whom he on 29 November 1998, the implementation of a Holy Year for the Year 2000 announced. The appendix contains the instructions for obtaining the anniversary indulgence .
The third millennium
With its gaze firmly fixed on the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God , the Church is preparing to cross the threshold of the third millennium. As never before, at this moment we feel it as our duty and obligation to make the apostle's song of praise and thanksgiving our own: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: He has blessed us with all the blessings of his Spirit through our fellowship with Christ in heaven. For in him he chose us before the creation of the world, that we might live holy and blameless before God; out of love he has determined us in advance to become his sons through Jesus Christ and to come to him according to his gracious will. [...] He has revealed to us the secret of his will, as he graciously determined in advance: He has decided to bring up the fullness of times, to unite in Christ everything, everything that is in heaven and on earth "( Eph 1,3-5.9-10 EU ) (cf. Incarnationis Mysterium, 1).
The papal bull begins with this introductory sentence and refers to the importance of this millennium. The Pope points out that the faithful should get involved again in the work of the Holy Spirit and describes the new millennium as a threshold of hope . He therefore calls on us to cross this threshold and to give others testimony of this hope, including the indulgence that Pope John Paul II has written out for the Holy Year.
The Holy Year 2000
The holy year 2000 was officially called with this bull. It defines the duration of the Holy Year: from the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve on December 24, 1999 to the closing of the same door on the Epiphany on January 6, 2001. The Holy Year 2000 was themed "Christ yesterday, today and forever "( Letter to the Hebrews ).
A new millennium with the Mother of God
John Paul II writes: “The peoples will never cease to invoke the Mother of Mercy, and they will always find refuge under her protection. Mary is and remains the Mother of Perpetual Help. If we strive day after day and trust in it, it will lead us to our eternal home. Let us therefore begin the new millennium with Mary. Let us rededicate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart ... All the many graces that we can receive in this Jubilee Year are given to us through the hands of Mary, according to the word of St. Pastor of Ars : 'No grace comes from heaven without going through Mary's hands'…' May our trust and our love for the Blessed Mother grow day by day; may she lead us and all people to the Lord ... '"
See also
- The Apostolic Letter " Tertio millenio adveniente " in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2000
- At the end of the Jubilee Year 2000, John Paul II published the Apostolic Exhortation “ Novo Millennio ineunte ”.