EUROPE/SPAIN - On 3 December Jesuits start celebrations for 5th centenary of the birth of St Francis Xavier and Blessed Pedro Fabro and 450 years since the death of St Ignatius

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Pamplona (Fides Service) - December 3 will mark the beginning of a Jubilee year for the Society of Jesus to commemorate three events: the 5th centenary of the birth of St Francis Xavier and Blessed Pedro Fabro (1506) and 450 years since the death of St Ignatius of Loyola 1556. The principal celebrations will be in Javier, Spain where the city’s castle and other buildings have been restored for the occasion with the addition of centres for numerous pilgrims and visitors expected during the jubilee year. The Castle was reopened on 28 October. The celebrations are promoted by the Society of Jesus, the regional government of Navarra, the archdiocese of Pamplona and Javier city council.
The Jubilee year will be marked by Jesuits in 127 countries all over the world with prayers and liturgies, pilgrimages, congresses, conferences, concerts, expositions, sports events, publication of books and leaflets, DVD....The General House in Rome has planned two symposium-conferences one in Loyola on the Ignatian Exercises (20-26 August) and the other in Rome on the Society’s Constitutions (15-21 October).
The Jubilee year will start with Vespers on 2 December in Pamplona Cathedral presided by the Archbishop Fernando Sebastian, with the participation of Prepositor General Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach. The official opening ceremony will the next morning 3 December at 10.30am in San Francisco de Jasso Hall in Javier followed by the opening of the ‘George Shurhammer Rooms’ , biographer of St Francis and 12 noon Mass presided by the archbishop of Pamplona and concelebrated by Fr Kolvenbach and Jesuit general superiors from all over the world gathered at that time in Loyola for a Meeting of Major Superiors (see Fides 10/11/2005). On December 4 a tribute will be paid to missionary followers of St Francis Xavier.
Other Jubilee events in Javier include: a relic of St Francis Xavier kept in the Gesu Church in Rome will be in Javier from 3 March to 20 April; Congress “The world around Xavier” 27 March 2 April speakers, university professors from Spain, Portugal and Japan; 5 to 11 March ‘javieradas’ pilgrimages on foot to Javier Castle; 4 April - 1 October inauguration of exposition of Icons of St Francis Xavier and his time (paintings, sculpture, engravings and goldsmith’s art from various different countries; 7 April, birthday of St Francis Xavier: solemn Mass with religious and civil authorities; 30 November - 2 December Inter-religious Meeting to discuss the situation of religions in the world today will close the Centenary. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 21/11/2005, righe 37, parole 515)