Catholics around the world celebrated the opening of the Jubilee Year of Mercy which was announced by the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis I earlier in March this year.

Here in Fiji, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong led a procession from Marist Brothers High School ground and performed the rite of opening the doors of mercy at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Suva followed by a Holy Mass last Saturday.

Jubilee, in the Bible refers to the 50 year Hebrew Jubilee tradition that grants emancipation – giving freedom to slaves, restoring land to former owners and letting the land rest.

During a press conference that was held at Nicholas House in Suva last Thursday, Archbishop Chong said: “Mercy is the basic principle of the activity of God and Jesus and therefore mercy should be the guiding principle the of Church and all Christians.

“Mercy reveals the divine method by which God meets us his people.”

Edited by: Filipe Naigulevu

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