Jubilees and Holy Doors

Jewish and Christian traditions hold the Jubilee year to be a time of joy and universal pardon. In Catholicism, Jubilees - or Holy Years - have been designated by popes since 1300. Ordinary jubilees are usually celebrated every 25 or 50 years, with extraordinary jubilees convoked based on need.

Observing the Holy Year includes making a pilgrimage to Rome. Plenary indulgences are granted to pilgrims who visit one of the four major basilicas and pass through its Holy Door. The Holy Doors are otherwise cemented shut.

On December 8th, Pope Francis ceremoniously opened the Holy Door of Saint Peter's Basilica, marking the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Pope Francis also extended to every ordinary bishop the privilege of designating Holy Doors within his diocese for pilgrims who are unable to travel to Rome. Cardinal Collins has designated Doors of Mercy at seven parishes and two shrines within the archdiocese. These local doors will open this Sunday, December 13, 2015.

Read more about the Holy Doors of Mercy in the Archdiocese of Toronto and how to obtain a jubilee indulgence.

In the Archives, we have records and souvenirs of previous Jubilees:

Archbishop Lynch fonds, L AL02.22

A certificate for pilgrims of the 1875 Jubilee Year, issued by Archbishop of Toronto John Joseph Lynch

Archbishop O'Connor fonds, O AA06.01

A pastoral letter issued by Archbishop Denis O'Connor concerning the 1900 Jubilee Year

Photographs Collection, PH62/02PC

Souvenir postcard of the Holy Year 1925 depicting Pope Pius XI

Textiles Special Collection, TX108

A souvenir silk scarf of the 1950 Jubilee Year. Pope Pius XII is depicted on the papal throne (sedia gestatoria) at the top along with portraits of the cardinals, including Toronto's Cardinal McGuigan (right)

Medallions Special Collection, MD09

Papal medallion struck by Pius XII on the occasion of the Great Jubilee Year of 1950 

Archbishop Pocock fonds, PO SU25.03
Cardinal Cardinal fonds, CA RC631.01

Bulls of Indiction (formal announcement or proclamation) for the Holy Years of 1975 and 1983, which depicts the opening of the Holy Doors.

Medallions Special Collection, MD144(a&b)

Pins issued for the celebration of the Great Jubilee in 2000

Artifacts Special Collection, AF283

Earthenware ciborium used at the Archdiocese of Toronto Jubilee 2000 Mass, Skydome, Toronto (June 18, 2000)

It's our 100th post!

It has been two years since we started The Archivist's Pencil and this is our one hundredth post.
In honour of this milestone, we thought it would make a lot of cents (!) to feature ten records with reference to "100":

Archbishop Lynch fonds, LRC69.23

Offering of 100 lire on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Pope Leo XIII's priestly ordination (24 December 1886)

First World War, FWGC01.13

"21st April 1916
Your Grace, This morning your cable 'hundred masses' arrived here, and I hasten to express my profound thanks for this great kindness and valuable help...
Three of my priests have been appointed military chaplains in connection with the expedition against German East Africa...
It took me over two months to visit all the missions; - I covered over 750 miles on a push bike."

Parish Collection, St. Mary's Toronto

"Souvenir of St. Mary's Parish, Bathurst and Adelaide Streets, Toronto, Ontario
Centennial Year 1852-1952"

St. Mary's is the third oldest parish in the city, after St. Paul's Basilica and St. Michael's Cathedral

Archbishop Neil McNeil fonds, MNAH16.104

"June 17, 1927...Enclosed find receipt for 100 Special Permits (Minister of the Gospel)."

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) was created in 1927 with the end of prohibition, which had been introduced in the province in 1916. However, temperance was still encouraged and from 1927 to 1962, the LCBO required people who wanted to purchase liquor to possess a permit. This letter to the LCBO suggests that priests were issued special permits for mass wine.

Archbishop Neil McNeil fonds, MNAH16.104

"Monastery of Our Lady of Charity, August 31, 1921
Enclosed is our cheque for One hundred dollars, the fifth and last payment on our new lot in Mount Hope Cemetery."

Mount Hope Cemetery is one of two operational Catholic cemeteries in downtown Toronto. It opened in 1900 as St. Michael's Cemetery began to fill up.

Archbishop Neil McNeil fonds, MNAH05.16

 "March 17, 1916
Your Grace, Just a note this evening to ask you if I could have a little extension of time in saying the remainder of those 100 Masses, 'ad intentionem,' which you so kindly gave me last October.  I offered 50 of them to the Bishop when I returned but he evidently had a good number of intentions on hand, because he didn't care to take mine."

Bishop de Charbonnel fonds, CAC02.09

September 15, 1853 - An Indenture made between the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation and John Butler, yeoman, for a transfer of land in the Township of Dereham, County of Oxford in consideration of one hundred pounds of lawful money.

The 1850s was a decade of wrangling over whether to adopt a sterling monetary system or a decimal monetary system based on the US dollar. In 1853, the sterling coinage was made legal tender, and all other silver coins were demonetized.  Therefore, one hundred pounds of lawful money refers to the British pound. The first Canadian coinage was not authorized and executed until 1858.
This land in the county of Oxford became part of the Diocese of London, which was erected in 1856.

Archbishop Lynch fonds, LRC44.12

Letter from Bishop Lynch asking Pope Pius IX to grant an indulgence of 100 days to the members of the Altar Boys' Confraternity, also for the College of St. Basil, the House of Providence, the Loretto Sisters, the St. Joseph Sisters and the various priests. (June 13, 1862)

Archbishop McEvay fonds, MEAF02.02

A letter from Archbishop McEvay scribbled on an envelope explaining that $100 worth of stock, received from Robertson and Coughlin, was sold for $32.00 (February 22, 1905)

Archbishop McNeil fonds, MNAH03.12

"Toronto, Feb. 2/14
Most Rev. Archbishop, This is the first opportunity I have had to reply to your letter re new hospital and infants' home.  While my means are not great I will try to send $100 a year for five years..."

This letter refers to St. Mary's Hospital and Infants' Home, which addressed the lack of  maternity care for young, unmarried Catholic women. Archbishop McNeil invited the Misericordia Sisters of Montreal to establish and administer the home in 1914.