Mexico begins this coming October 12 the Guadalupan Jubilee Year granted by Leo XIV on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the new Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe and the transfer of the Sacred Image to the new sanctuary. The jubilee period will extend until October 12, 2027 and will allow pilgrims to obtain the plenary indulgence under the conditions established by the Church.
Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, Primate Archbishop of Mexico, will preside this Monday at 12:00 p.m. over the solemn Eucharist that will inaugurate the Jubilee. The date also coincides with the 131st anniversary of the Pontifical Coronation of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
50 years of the new Basilica of Guadalupe
The Jubilee commemorates the events of October 12, 1976, when the new Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe was dedicated and the transfer of the Sacred Image of the Virgin to the new church took place.
The sanctuary had been built to replace the old basilica, which was affected by structural problems caused by the subsidence of the ground. The new building, designed by architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, also made it possible to respond to the growing number of pilgrims who came to Tepeyac.
Half a century later, the Holy See has granted a jubilee year to commemorate that dedication and the transfer of the image.
The announcement was made in September by Cardinal Aguiar Retes, who explained that Leo XIV, through the Apostolic Penitentiary, had granted the Guadalupan Jubilee Year.
“With deep joy and gratitude, I announce to you that Pope Leo XIV, through the Apostolic Penitentiary, has granted a Guadalupan Jubilee Year on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Dedication of the New Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe and the Transfer of the Sacred Image of Our Mother.”
Plenary indulgence during the Jubilee Year
The concession will allow the faithful who make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe to obtain the plenary indulgence for themselves or to apply it for the souls in Purgatory until October 12, 2027.
According to the indications communicated by the Archbishop of Mexico, they must visit the Sacred House of Santa María de Guadalupe with devotion and a contrite spirit and participate in a liturgical act or dedicate time to prayer in the Basilica.
In addition, the usual conditions established by the Church must be met: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, recitation of the Creed and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Aguiar Retes has invited the faithful to live this period as a path of “spiritual renewal and conversion.”
An opening day with Mass, rosary and commemorative events
The celebrations began on Sunday, October 11 with solemn Lauds and capitular Mass. At midday, Cardinal Aguiar Retes presided over the Sunday Mass and in the afternoon the solemn Vespers of the dedication of the new Basilica were celebrated.
This Monday the 12th, the day began at 8:30 a.m. with solemn Lauds and capitular Mass.
The central event will be at 12:00 p.m. with the Mass of the Roses, presided over by Cardinal Aguiar Retes, which will formally mark the beginning of the Jubilee Year.
The program will continue at 2:00 p.m. with a priestly gathering in Plaza Mariana. At 5:00 p.m. the Archdiocesan Rosary will take place, followed at 6:00 p.m. by a commemorative concert for the 50th anniversary. The day will conclude at 7:00 p.m. with the Rosary of Guadalupan Love.
The 131st anniversary of the Pontifical Coronation is also celebrated
The opening of the Jubilee coincides with another milestone in the history of the sanctuary: the 131 years of the Pontifical Coronation of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The solemn coronation took place on October 12, 1895, after Pope Leo XIII authorized the canonical coronation of the image.
The coincidence of both anniversaries—the 50 years of the dedication of the new Basilica and the 131 years of the Pontifical Coronation—determined the choice of October 12 for the opening of the Jubilee Year.
The celebrations will continue for twelve months and will conclude on October 12, 2027.