From Father Ken – Catechesis on the Jubilee 2025 #3
THE JUBILEE LOGO
You may have seen this simple and beautiful logo of the 2025 Jubilee Year. Do you know what it means? As we can see, there are many symbols on the logo. Do you know their significance? On this catechesis on the jubilee logo, all these things shall be explained.
On the upper left of the logo is an inscription, “Jubilee 2025” in black. This inscription announces that what you are looking at is the logo of the 2025 ordinary Jubilee Year. The logo contains five symbols, all necessary for our faith: Four human-like figures, waves, anchor, cross and Jubilee motto.
The Figures: Clearly seen on the logo are four stylized figures in different colours of blue, green, yellow and red. They represent all of humanity, coming from the four corners of the earth. Note that they are not equal in size yet they have similar appearance. This depicts the nature of our world where diversity is the norm: various cultures, languages, peoples; differing sizes of population, geography, resources, different beliefs, attitudes, commitments etc. The figures embrace each other to indicate the solidarity and fraternity which should unite all peoples. The red figure at the front is holding onto the cross, the sign of our faith. Following the lead figure, they all cling to the cross, symbolizing our unfailing hope that God will not abandon us at the time of our greatest need.
The Waves: Beneath the figures are rough waves. This symbolizes that the pilgrimage of life does not always go smoothly in calm waters. Our day-to-day experiences are not always smooth and tranquil. For this, the circumstances of daily life and events in the wider world should be anchored in hope.
The Anchor: The lower part of the Cross is elongated turning into an anchor, which dominates the movement of the waves. The anchor is used often as a symbol of hope. In maritime jargon, as it is often expressed, the ‘anchor of hope’ refers to the reserve anchor used by vessels involved in emergency maneuvers to stabilize the ship during storms. Thus, in the ‘rough waves of life,’ we should anchor our hope in God. The figures on the rough waves facing the cross reminds us that the pilgrim’s journey is not individual, but rather communal, with the signs of a growing dynamism that moves more and more toward the Cross.
The Cross: The cross in the logo is not standing erect. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the former president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization explains why the cross is not erect: “The Cross is not static but dynamic, bending toward and meeting humanity as if not to leave it alone, but rather offering the certainty of its presence and the reassurance of hope.”
The Motto: At the bottom of the logo is the motto of the 2025 Jubilee Year: Peregrinantes in Spem (Pilgrims in hope), represented in green letters. Green is the colour of life and once there is life, there is hope and our hope is anchored in God.
Fr Kenneth Ahanonu
