iubilaeum

Iubilaeum is a Latin noun meaning jubilee or festival, used in religious and scholarly Latin to denote a special year of grace or rejoicing. In ecclesiastical usage, a iubilaeum refers to a holy year proclaimed by a church authority, during which pilgrims may receive special spiritual benefits, typically including indulgences and the possibility of plenary pardon after meeting certain conditions.

Originating from iubilum, from iubilare “to exult” or “to shout for joy,” the term is cognate with the English word jubilee. The concept reflects a festive, restorative or pardoning moment within the liturgical calendar.

Historically, the idea derives from the ancient Jewish yovel year of release and restoration, later adopted by Christian practice as a period of penitence, pilgrimage, and grace. The Roman Catholic Church has declared jubilees at intervals, with the first widely documented papal jubilee in 1300 under Boniface VIII. In the modern era, the Great Jubilee of 2000 was proclaimed by John Paul II. Jubilees may be ordinary, traditionally occurring at intervals such as 25 or 50 years, or extraordinary when declared for specific circumstances.

Beyond religious use, jubileum in several languages denotes a significant anniversary, especially a 50th. In scholarly, liturgical, or historical writing, iubilaeum may appear as the formal Latin term for such jubilees.