The year 2000 represents a great opportunity to visit Rome for the Jubilee celebrations
The Jubilee's tradition dates back to the Old Testament.
It was known then as The Great
Sabbatical Year (which nowadays corresponds to the Jubilee Year) and
occurred every 50 years.
According to Moses's law, every seventh year, that is the Sabbatical
Year, was to be consecrated to God. In the Old Testament the holy day
was Saturday as Sunday is in modern times. It was a time of rest for
the Earth, of praise unto God and joy for every man.
During this year the law established for slaves to be freed, for all debts to be written-off and land to be returned to the original owners. All that was to be done in God's honour.
Moreover, according to Moses's law, 7 weeks of years (seven times seven years) equal to a period of 49 years, were to be counted. The 50th year, as a result, was to be declared the Holy Year during which the same customs of the Sabbatical Year had to be solemnly celebrated.
Therefore, the Jubilee symbolised true jubilation, a period of joy to be celebrated in God's honour since it meant liberation. It signified the return of equality and justice, for all the Children of Israel, since equality implied the existence of righteous governments that sought to protect the weak, which according to Israel's law was the true meaning of justice.
As a consequence, the above mentioned norms that were enforced during the Jubilee Year originated theologically and were legally implemented. They had theological bases since it was generally believed that God, being the Creator, was originator of both creation and Earth. In His infinite goodness, God had given men all the gift of his creation and had established that these gifts would be considered as common good for the whole of mankind, thus useful for everybody insofar as they created Equality and Social Justice. They were legally enforced since they made up a body of laws issued by the State, but only rarely were they applied thus only prefacing the liberation brought by the coming of Christ. In compliance with these laws, a "social doctrine" began to develop in the New Testament and became one of the main sources that influenced the social doctrine of the Church.
In this lies the biblical sense of the Jubilee: a celebration year for the coming of Christ in the world, a year of liberation and reconciliation, a year of justice and peace devoted especially to God and , as a consequence, of joy for the whole of mankind since at one time it was in favour of mankind itself.
All roads lead to Rome which
enthralls visitors today as it has since time immemorial. More than
Florence, more than Venice Rome is Italy'streasure storehouse packed
as it is with masterpieces from more than
two millennia of artistic achievement.
The Eternal city is also the
biggest shopping city in Italy and is a major international
marketplace. The most exclusive shops are chiefly found from "via del
Babbuino" to "via Ripetta", from "via del Corso" to "via Frattina",
from "via Condotti" to "via Veneto" with the his "Cafes" to "Piazza
di Spagna" with the famous stairway of the "TrinitÖ dei Monti".
The ancient city stretches on the "Sette Colli" other districts
"Trastevere" and Borgo" are instead on the right of the river
"Tevere". Between the "Sette Colli": three: "Viminale", "Quirinale"
and "Esquilino" have residences and monuments; two: "Celio" and
"Aventino" are rich of green zones; the "Campidoglio" is center of
the "Comune di Roma", while the Palatino is archaeological zone.
Nowhere else will you find such a heady mix of eternity, elegance,
earthiness and energy.