St James Holy Year ushered in on eve of New Year 2010

[alizaracelis]

Holy Year of St James ushered in on the eve of new year 2010

http://www.hazteoir.org/node/26797

“A Pilgrimage Toward the Light”

1 Jan. 2010 – Starting yesterday, at 16:00 hrs, with the opening of the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Santiago, the Jubilee Year of St James has been ushered in. In the afternoon of the last day of 2009, in one of the most beautiful places in Europe ―the Plaza del Obradoiro de Santiago de Compostela, a symbol of the European continent’s identity―, the Archbishop of the City, Monseñor Julián Barrio, and the President of the Galician Board, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, inaugurated the St James Holy Year 2010. Among many other events, we look forward to the International Family Meeting and the Meeting of the Youth.

Read more, here: http://www.hazteoir.org/node/26797

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About the Holy Year of St James, you can read more, here:

http://www.caminosantiagodecompostela.c ... o2010.html

Año Santo Jacobeo (or in Galician language Ano Santo Xacobeo) is the holy year of St. James. It takes place the year when the 25th of July (day of St. James) falls on a Sunday.

This happens with a fixed period of 6-5-6-11 years which implies that there are fourteen Años Santos Jacobeos every century. During the St. James holy year, Catholics can get the Jubilee indulgence. In order to obtain it they must:

1. Visit the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain, where St. James the Great was buried.

2. Pray some prayer (at least the Credo, Our Father and pray for the Pope's intentions). It is recommended to attend to mass.

3. Receive the Sacraments of Penance (it may be between 15 days before and 15 days after) and Communion.
In summary, the Jubilee grace consists of a plenary indulgence for the forgiveness of the eternal punishment due to sin.

The first Año Jubilar or Jubilee Year was granted by the Pope Calixtus II in 1126. The last Jubilee Years were in 1993, 1999 and 2004. The next ones will be in 2010 and 2021.

[wmpetzall]

The tradition for pilgrims is to walk the road, frequently from Roncesvalles to Santiago. At the Cathedral, they will "hug the Apostle", from the back...
Here are a couple of images:

[Silvia]

"The first Año Jubilar or Jubilee Year was granted by the Pope Calixtus II in 1126"

Maybe not.

http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2008/06/h ... ostela.php

( wmpetzall has used a photograph of me hugging the saint in the 2004 Holy Year.)

[alizaracelis]

SPAIN REJOICES IN NEWS OF PAPAL VISIT

http://zenit.org/article-28547?l=english

Bishops Ready to Help "in All That's Needed"

MADRID, Spain, MARCH 3, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The news of Benedict XVI's trip to Barcelona and Santiago de Compostela in November "fills the Church in Spain with joy," say the nation's bishops.

The episcopal conference of Spain expressed jubilation Wednesday after Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach of Barcelona and Archbishop Julián Barrio of Santiago de Compostela announced that Benedict XVI would visit the two cities this November.

The Pontiff will visit Santiago de Compostela on Nov. 6 for the Jacobeo Holy Year, and go to Barcelona the next day to consecrate that city's Church of the Holy Family (also known as the Church of the Sagrada Familia).

To read more, click here:
http://zenit.org/article-28547?l=english

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