At 5:30pm today, in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the First Vespers for the Second Sunday of Easter, otherwise known as Divine Mercy Sunday. His Holiness also delivered and read the Bull entitled Misericordiae vultus proclaiming the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy which will begin on December 8, 2015 and conclude on November 20, 2016.
Pope Francis, accompanied by the Cardinals went to the Atrium of the Vatican Basilica and standing in front of the Holy Door, presented the Bull of proclamation to the four Cardinal Archpriests of the Papal Basilicas in Rome: Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican; Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Archpriest of the Lateran Basilica; Cardinal James Michael Harvey, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls; and Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Symbolically reaching out to all the Bishops of the world, the Holy Father also presented a copy of the Bull to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches. Representing all those from the East, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, born in Hong Kong and now serving as Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples also received a copy. The African continent was represented by Archbishop Barthélemy Adoukonou, who was born in Benin and is currently serving as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture. Representing the Eastern Churches, the Pope presented a copy of the Bull to Monsignor Khaled Ayad Bishay, from the Patriarchal Coptic Church of Alexandria.
Then the Regent of the Papal Household, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, acting as Protonotary Apostolic, read excerpts from the official document convoking the extraordinary Holy Year in the presence of the Holy Father.
The Holy Father then presided over the celebration of the First Vespers for Divine Mercy Sunday which took place in the Vatican Basilica.
The greeting of the Risen Christ to his disciples on the evening of Easter, Peace be with you! (Jn 20:19), continues to resound in us all. Peace, especially during this Easter season, remains the desire of so many people who suffer unprecedented violence of discrimination and death simply because they bear the name Christian. Our prayer is all the more intense and becomes a cry for help to the Father, who is rich in mercy, that he may sustain the faith of our many brothers and sisters who are in pain. At the same time, we ask for the grace of the conversion of our own hearts so as to move from indifference to compassion.
Saint Paul reminds us that we have been saved through the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He is the Reconciler, who is alive in our midst offering the way to reconciliation with God and with each other. The Apostle recalls that, notwithstanding the difficulties and the sufferings of life, the hope of salvation which Christ has sown in our hearts nonetheless continues to grow. The mercy of God is poured out upon us, making us just and giving us peace.
Many question in their hearts: why a Jubilee of Mercy today? Simply because the Church, in this time of great historical change, is called to offer more evident signs of God’s presence and closeness. This is not the time to be distracted; on the contrary, we need to be vigilant and to reawaken in ourselves the capacity to see what is essential. This is a time for the Church to rediscover the meaning of the mission entrusted to her by the Lord on the day of Easter: to be a sign and an instrument of the Father’s mercy (cf Jn 20:21-23). For this reason, the Holy Year must keep alive the desire to know how to welcome the numerous signs of the tenderness which God offers to the whole world and, above all, to those who suffer, who are alone and abandoned, without hope of being pardoned or feeling the Father’s love. A Holy Year to experience strongly within ourselves the joy of having been found by Jesus, the Good Shepherd who has come in search of us because we were lost. A Jubilee to receive the warmth of his love when he bears us upon his shoulders and brings us back to the Father’s house. A year in which to be touched by the Lord Jesus and to be transformed by his mercy, so that we may become witnesses to mercy. Here, then, is the reason for the Jubilee: because this is the time for mercy. It is the favourable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone, everyone, the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.
May the Mother of God open our eyes, so that we may comprehend the task to which we have been called; and may she obtain for us the grace to experience this Jubilee of Mercy as faithful and fruitful witnesses of Christ.
Pope Francis, accompanied by the Cardinals went to the Atrium of the Vatican Basilica and standing in front of the Holy Door, presented the Bull of proclamation to the four Cardinal Archpriests of the Papal Basilicas in Rome: Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican; Cardinal Agostino Vallini, Archpriest of the Lateran Basilica; Cardinal James Michael Harvey, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls; and Cardinal Santos Abril y Castelló, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Symbolically reaching out to all the Bishops of the world, the Holy Father also presented a copy of the Bull to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops; Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches. Representing all those from the East, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, born in Hong Kong and now serving as Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples also received a copy. The African continent was represented by Archbishop Barthélemy Adoukonou, who was born in Benin and is currently serving as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture. Representing the Eastern Churches, the Pope presented a copy of the Bull to Monsignor Khaled Ayad Bishay, from the Patriarchal Coptic Church of Alexandria.
Then the Regent of the Papal Household, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, acting as Protonotary Apostolic, read excerpts from the official document convoking the extraordinary Holy Year in the presence of the Holy Father.
The Holy Father then presided over the celebration of the First Vespers for Divine Mercy Sunday which took place in the Vatican Basilica.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the First Vespers of Divine Mercy Sunday
The greeting of the Risen Christ to his disciples on the evening of Easter, Peace be with you! (Jn 20:19), continues to resound in us all. Peace, especially during this Easter season, remains the desire of so many people who suffer unprecedented violence of discrimination and death simply because they bear the name Christian. Our prayer is all the more intense and becomes a cry for help to the Father, who is rich in mercy, that he may sustain the faith of our many brothers and sisters who are in pain. At the same time, we ask for the grace of the conversion of our own hearts so as to move from indifference to compassion.
Saint Paul reminds us that we have been saved through the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He is the Reconciler, who is alive in our midst offering the way to reconciliation with God and with each other. The Apostle recalls that, notwithstanding the difficulties and the sufferings of life, the hope of salvation which Christ has sown in our hearts nonetheless continues to grow. The mercy of God is poured out upon us, making us just and giving us peace.
Many question in their hearts: why a Jubilee of Mercy today? Simply because the Church, in this time of great historical change, is called to offer more evident signs of God’s presence and closeness. This is not the time to be distracted; on the contrary, we need to be vigilant and to reawaken in ourselves the capacity to see what is essential. This is a time for the Church to rediscover the meaning of the mission entrusted to her by the Lord on the day of Easter: to be a sign and an instrument of the Father’s mercy (cf Jn 20:21-23). For this reason, the Holy Year must keep alive the desire to know how to welcome the numerous signs of the tenderness which God offers to the whole world and, above all, to those who suffer, who are alone and abandoned, without hope of being pardoned or feeling the Father’s love. A Holy Year to experience strongly within ourselves the joy of having been found by Jesus, the Good Shepherd who has come in search of us because we were lost. A Jubilee to receive the warmth of his love when he bears us upon his shoulders and brings us back to the Father’s house. A year in which to be touched by the Lord Jesus and to be transformed by his mercy, so that we may become witnesses to mercy. Here, then, is the reason for the Jubilee: because this is the time for mercy. It is the favourable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone, everyone, the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.
May the Mother of God open our eyes, so that we may comprehend the task to which we have been called; and may she obtain for us the grace to experience this Jubilee of Mercy as faithful and fruitful witnesses of Christ.
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