JUBILEE, a time of public and solemn festivity
among the ancient Hebrews. This was kept every
50th year: it began about the autumnal equinox, and
was proclaimed by sound of trumpet throughout all
the country. At this time all slaves were released,
all debts annihilated, and all lands, houses, wives and
children, however alienated, were restored to their first
owners. During this whole year all kind of agricul-
ture was forbidden; and the poor had the benefit of
the harvest, vintage, and the other productions of the
earth, in the same manner as in the sabbatic or seventh
year. As this was designed to put the Israelites in
mind of their Egyptian servitude, and to prevent their
imposing the like upon their brethren, it was not ob-
served by the Gentile profelites.
The Christians, in imitation of the Jews, have like-
wise established jubilees, which began in the time of
pope Boniface VIII. in the year 1300, and are now
practised every 25 years: but these relate only to the
pretended forgiveness of sins, and the indulgences
granted by the church of Rome; together with the
privilege of performing a thousand frolics in masquerade.
The ceremony of the jubilee observed at
Rome, begins in the following manner: The pope
goes to St Peter's church, to open the holy gate,
which is walled up, and opened only on this occasion;
and, holding a golden hammer in his hand, he knocks
at the gate three times, repeating these words, Aperite
mihi portas justitie, &c. "Open to me the gates of
righteousness; I will go into them, and I will praise
the Lord, (Psal. cxviii. 19.)" Upon which the mas-
sons fall to work, and break down the wall that stops
up the gate: which done, the pope kneels down be-
fore it, and the penitentiaries sprinkle him with holy
water. Then, taking up the cross, he begins to sing
Te Deum; and enters the church, followed by the
clergy. In the mean time, three cardinal-legates are
sent to open the three other holy gates which are in
the
the churches of St John of Lateran, St Paul, and St Mary the Greater. When the holy year is expired, the holy gates are shut in this manner: The pope, after he has blessed the stones and mortar, lays the first stone, and leaves there 12 boxes of gold and silver medals; after which the holy gates are walled up as before, and continue so till the next jubilee.