Misericordiae Vultus: Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Year of Mercy

December 2015 will mark 50 years since the closing of the Vatican II Ecumenical Council. In 1965, this was a significant moment in the near 2000 year journey of the Church, invoking openness toward its people.

On the occasion of Divine Mercy Sunday, 12 April 2015, Pope Francis released the Bull of Indiction of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Misericordiae Vultus. This Holy Year of Mercy, commencing on 8 December 2015 and concluding on the Feast of Christ the King on 20 November 2016, will be celebrated in every Catholic Diocese throughout the world; bringing mercy and the accompanying themes of love, compassion and forgiveness into focus, so that Catholics may put mercy into practice in their everyday lives and remain open to the genuine spirit of Vatican II and its promise of inclusiveness and understanding.