On December 27, 2023, we had the opportunity to attend the official opening celebration of the Jubilee of the 350th anniversary of the Apparitions of the Heart of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary in Paray-le-Monial, marking the anniversary of the first apparition which took place on December 27, 1673. This Jubilee will last until June 29, 2025, the date of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart and the anniversary of the third great apparition. Several events are planned, such as the meeting with consecrated persons on February 2, 2024, a retreat entitled “The Way of the Heart” and a theological colloquium in Rome to be held from February 1, 2024.er to May 5, 2024.
For this opening day of the Jubilee, the highlights began with the presentation of the major issues of devotion to the Sacred Heart for today by Father Etienne Kern, rector of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Paray-le-Monial. Then the solemn Mass at the opening of the Jubilee was celebrated, presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to France, Archbishop Celestino Migliore. During the Eucharistic celebration at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paray-le-Monial, Archbishop Celestino briefly recalled the story of Jesus’ appearance to St. Margaret Mary and the spread of the message by St. Claude Colombière, the great apostle of the Sacred Heart. In a world marked by great fragility and human misery at all levels, he invites us to find rest in the sweetness of the Heart of Jesus, to open our hearts to “contribute to the humanization of community and social life”. This is the new meaning for our society today.
In the afternoon, after the presentation of the message of December 27, 1673 by Father Louis-Pierre Dupont, chaplain at the Shrine, the procession to the Chapel of the Apparitions, the opening of the Holy Door and the Jubilee process took place.
« To learn to love Jesus, who urged me so hard to repay him love for love…”, said St. Margaret Mary. Thus, the theme of this Jubilee is “Returning Love for Love”, which invites each person to welcome the personal love of Jesus, to respond to this infinite love of God with love for those who are so much in need of consolation.
View some events here:
Replay de l’ouverture du Jubilé des 350 ans des apparitions à Paray (youtube.com)