Years of Mercy

The official beginning of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, declared by Pope Francis, is Tuesday, the 50th anniversary of when Vatican II ended and, in the Catholic calendar, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. Pope Francis had proclaimed Nov. 29, 2014, through Feb. 2, 2016, to be the Year of Consecrated Life, giving attention to the work of people in religious communities in the church.