All smiles, during the first Advent service on December 5, 2021, the pastor of the Anglican HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton) Church, Nicky Gumbel, asks a strange question to his parishioners and the thousands of viewers who follow him live on the Internet.
- I hope you all have April 17, 2033 in your diaries?
He laughs, points out that some raise their hands in the assembly and continues.
- Yes, many know what I'm talking about. On April 17, Easter 2033, we will celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus Christ...
He continues, after a brief hesitation and speaks from his heart:
- Many people are already working on this: I have on my desk the book of a person who has been working on this since 2007. And there are several initiatives such as “Finishing the Task” with Rick Warren or Bible translation organisations and many others who have put 2033 on their agendas with specific goals.
- And for our part, my wife Pippa and I would like to dedicate our lives to making the Alpha courses available to everyone on the planet by 2033!
A thunderous applause rang out in the imposing church on Brompton Road.
- Moreover, for Easter 2023, I have the honor of having been invited to Jerusalem, for a celebration in the Garden of the Tomb. This to launch the decade before 2033.
To support his announcement, 24 hours later, he sends to almost every country in the world his vision of making the Gospel accessible through Alpha courses by 2033 to more than 40,000 Christian leaders. A shock wave has gone from the United Kingdom !
Before London: Rome!
In the official Vatican newspaper “l’OSSERVATORE ROMANO” of December 14, 2021, the Bishop of Rome also encourages Catholics to put Easter 2033 in their diary.
- I rejoice that through many acts of faith and public witness... we are beginning to prepare... for the Jubilee of Redemption of 2033. We must always look ahead, he told a group from Latin America.
This is the first time that Pope Francis has mentioned in a Holy See media the “Jubilee of Redemption”. In private, he already spoke about it in November 2016, during a private reception with his longtime friend Alejandro Rodrigues from Argentina and Olivier Fleury from Switzerland. Since then, it is highly likely that 2033 will be a subject of discussion between bishops and cardinals in the audience halls of the Vatican.
The question is not whether the Catholic Church will celebrate a jubilee in 2033… but how? It would also not be surprising if this jubilee were preceded by three years marking the years of the public ministry of Jesus (2030-2033), as the bimillennium of the birth of Christ had been prepared by three years, to end up by thousands of final celebrations at Christmas 2000… The real question is: will the Catholic Church celebrate this jubilee with the other Churches?
A wind of unity and witness blows through the churches and between them. Driven by an irresistible force of life, the disciples of Emmaus hastily retraced their steps, to affirm loud and clear to whoever wants to hear them: Christ is risen... Following them, if all those who believe in the resurrection of Christ (over 2 billion Christians) testified with love and zeal, then the world will know! Without a doubt !
Olivier Fleury
