The Archdiocese of Valladolid will begin the year 2026 with the opening of a Diocesan Jubileo Year dedicated to Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo, on the occasion of the tercentenary of his canonization, an initiative that will place its spiritual center in Mayorga and the Tierra de Campos region, one of the most depopulated areas of the diocese.
During the presentation of the Jubilee, the Archbishop of Valladolid, Monsignor Luis Argüello, emphasized that the decision responds to the desire to “place the heart of this Holy Year in Mayorga and in Tierra de Campos”, shifting the usual focus of major diocesan celebrations from the capital to the rural sphere. With this, he explained, it is intended to underscore that the jubilee time is not only a historical commemoration, but an opportunity to revitalize Christian life where depopulation and aging pose the greatest pastoral challenges.
The official opening of the Jubilee Year will take place on Saturday, January 3, at 12:00 p.m., with the celebration of the Eucharist presided over by the archbishop in the Mayorga hermitage, the saint’s birthplace. This event is also part of the preparation path toward the Extraordinary Jubilee of 2033, when the Church will commemorate the two thousand years of the Redemption. In this context, Monsignor Argüello recalled that from the beginning of his episcopal ministry he has pointed to 2033 as a key reference for diocesan life.
The Jubilee Year was formally requested from the Holy See following a joint proposal from the parish and the Mayorga Town Hall, and received approval in just a few weeks, along with the corresponding granting of jubilee graces. The archbishop highlighted that this Jubilee also coincides with the tercentenary of the canonization of Saint John of the Cross, a figure closely linked to Medina del Campo, which allows the diocese to bring into dialogue two great testimonies of holiness born in its territory: the spiritual reform of Carmel and the evangelization of the American continent.
Bond with Peru and communion with the Pope
The Valladolid Jubilee Year will also coincide with the one celebrated by the diocese of Chiclayo (Peru), the place where Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo died after an intense missionary life. This coincidence takes on special significance in recalling that Pope Leo XIV was previously bishop of that Peruvian diocese. Monsignor Argüello has expressed his hope that the Holy Father may visit Spain in 2026 and, if possible, Mayorga de Campos, as a sign of communion with the Successor of Peter.
The archbishop presented the figure of Saint Toribio as a model of itinerancy, pastoral service, and organization of the Church in America, to the point of being considered the patron of the Latin American episcopate. In this sense, he encouraged living the Jubilee as a “providential” opportunity to reorganize ecclesial life, emphasizing mission, holiness, and Christian witness.
A Jubilee lived by the entire people
The parish priest of Mayorga, Jesús Manuel Nieto, highlighted the “joy and gladness” with which the municipality welcomes this Jubilee Year, which will allow the figure of Saint Toribio to be made known throughout the diocese and the province. He especially emphasized his concern for the most defenseless and his commitment to human dignity, traits that, he noted, remain fully relevant today.
For his part, the mayor of Mayorga, David de la Viuda, stressed the deep roots of the saint in the local identity, stating that Saint Toribio is part of the “DNA” of the town and its collective history.
The Diocesan Jubilee Year will extend until December 10, 2026, the date commemorating the canonization of Saint Toribio in 1726. During this time, the diocese has prepared an extensive program that will cover pastoral, cultural, and charitable dimensions, with special attention to the elderly, youth, the transmission of faith, and solidarity.
One of the central axes will be the project “Saint Toribio pilgrim”, which will allow for the first time the image and relics of the saint to leave Mayorga to reach the capital and other points in the diocese. The Jubilee will culminate with a special emphasis on charity and solidarity, as a concrete expression of the spiritual legacy of Saint Toribio and the universal call to holiness that the Church addresses to all the faithful.