Misericordiae vultus

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Coat of arms of Pope Francis with the motto Miserando atque eligendo (pitiful and yet chosen)

Misericordiae vultus ("Face of Mercy") is the bull of preaching for the Holy Year of Mercy . The bull named after its opening words was promulgated by Pope Francis on April 11, 2015 .

Extraordinary Holy Year

On March 13, 2015, Pope Francis announced an extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy during a penitential devotion. On April 11, 2015, the Bull of Annunciation Misericordiae vultus was read in front of the Holy Door of St. Peter 's Basilica . Then Pope Francis handed them over to the archpriests of the four papal basilicas of St. Peter , St. John Lateran , St. Paul Outside the Walls and Santa Maria Maggiore . The Prefects of the Congregation for Bishops , the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Congregation for the Eastern Churches received further copies .

details

The Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica

In his opening remarks, Pope Francis elaborates on theological and spiritual issues of mercy , which he describes as “the beam that sustains the life of the Church” (No. 10). In Jesus of Nazareth "the mercy of the Father has come alive and has come to light and has reached its climax" (No. 1).

In the bull, the Pope calls on all people, especially those "who are far from God because of their way of life", to repent and asks them to change their lives. It is a "terrible trap to believe that everything in life depends on money and that therefore everything else has no value or dignity" (No. 19). The Pope invokes St. Maria Faustyna Kowalska as intercessor and “great apostle of mercy” .

December 8, 2015, the feast of the Immaculate Conception , was chosen for the opening of the Holy Year, because exactly 50 years ago the Second Vatican Council came to an end on this day , which was "of great importance in recent church history". The Church feels the need to keep this moment alive, since at that time "a new stage in the ever-imminent evangelization" had begun (n. 4).

The Pope also lays down the following details:

  • The opening of the Holy Year with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica will take place on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
  • On Sunday Gaudete , the Holy Door in the Lateran Basilica is opened, followed by the other papal basilicas. For the same Sunday the Pope stipulates

“That in all particular churches either in the episcopal church , which is the mother of all churches in the diocese, or in the co- cathedral or in another church of outstanding importance for the duration of the holy year, a gate of mercy will also be opened.” Whether in pilgrimage churches happens, is incumbent on the diocesan bishop .

  • The jubilee year will end on the Feast of Christ the King on November 20, 2016 with the closing of the Holy Doors.
  • You are invited to a pilgrimage to the Holy Gates, either to Rome or to another place that suits your own strength.
  • In the dioceses , on the Friday and Saturday before Sunday Laetare 2016, the initiative “24 hours for the Lord” with the reception of the sacrament of penance is to be intensified. In the sacrament of penance we could “grasp the greatness of mercy with our hands”, and the sacrament was also a source of inner peace.
  • During Lent 2016, Pope Francis will send out “Missionaries of Mercy” who will be a sign of the Church's maternal concern for the people of God. The Pope asks the local bishops to invite and receive these missionaries.
  • " Popular missions " are to be organized in the dioceses .

This is followed by remarks on indulgence , which is of particular importance in this holy year.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Penitential devotion with subsequent individual confession - sermon by Pope Francis , Vatican Basilica, Friday, March 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ Armin Schwibach: Indication of the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy , Kath.net of April 11, 2015.