Jubilee officially opens for the 350th anniversary of the parish Notre-Dame de Québec
Monday, December 09 2013
At the conclusion of the Sunday Angelus, December 8, 2013, in St. Peter Square, Rome, Pope Francis extended his best wishes and blessing for the opening of the jubilee year marking the 350th anniversary of the parish Notre-Dame de Québec. The first Catholic parish canonically erected in North America outside Spanish territories, it is today Quebec City’s cathedral parish. The celebrations began with the official opening of a Holy Door, presided by the Most Reverend Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec and Primate of the Church in Canada. The Holy Door, a gift of the Holy See, is the seventh in the world. There are four in Rome, one in Ars-sur-Formans, France, and one in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, making this the first outside Europe. Visitors can pass through the Holy Door starting today, December 9, and for the duration of the jubilee year.
The words of the Holy Father on the celebration in Québec City were the following: “We unite ourselves spiritually to the Church in North America which today remembers the foundation of the first parish 350 years ago: Notre-Dame de Québec. Let us give thanks for the journey that has been made from that moment, especially for the saints and martyrs who have rendered that land so fruitful. With all my heart I bless all the faithful who are celebrating this jubilee.” (Translation)
Tonight, December 9, 2013, beginning at 8:30pm Eastern Time, Salt + Light TV will televise part of the ceremony opening the Holy Door which was celebrated in Quebec City last night.
Complete video of the opening celebration on the TV web portal for the Archdiocese of Québec