Every fiftieth year, being the year following the completion of each seventh sabbath of years, at which time all the slaves of Hebrew blood were liberated, and all lands which had been alienated during the whole period reverted to their former owners.
The joyful commemoration held on the fiftieth anniversary of any event; as, the jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign; the jubilee of the American Board of Missions.
A church solemnity or ceremony celebrated at Rome, at stated intervals, originally of one hundred years, but latterly of twenty-five; a plenary and extraordinary indulgence granted by the sovereign pontiff to the universal church. One invariable condition of granting this indulgence is the confession of sins and receiving of the eucharist.
The fiftieth year, after seven cycles of seven years. Jewish law stipulated the redemption of slaves and property in this year, as well as a year of rest for the land (Lev 25).
a special anniversary (or the celebration of it)
a fiftieth anniversary, a special year that is celebrated with exultation in the Church
(from Hebrew yovel, "ram's-horn trumpet") Every fiftieth year was a jubilee (the year following seven times seven years, or seven weeks of years); special arrangements during this year were designed to aid the poor and dispossessed.
ancient Jewish tradition in which land reverted to original ownership at intervals of fifty years (the year following seven sabbaths of years); used as a millennium theme and symbol especially relating to debt-relief campaignin
an anniversary celebration for Brothers* who received the robe* twenty-five, fifty, sixty (or more) years earlier. L C W R: Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
The Biblical concept found in Leviticus chapters 25 and 27 and Numbers 36. It was a system built into society for the periodic redistribution of wealth. It included returning land to the original owners, freeing slaves, and forgiving debts.
Mentioned in the Holy Bible as a ceremonial time event that took place about every 50 years (Leviticus 25.8-9), the original ceremonial time event was actually an annual "pass-over" day - or "leap" day event, that also became identified with other time alignment ceremonial events. (Ju = the, BIL = bell = ringing the Bell - or blowing the ram's horn) See CHRISTMAS.
The Jubilee (Hebrew Yovel יובל) year (every 50th year) and the Sabbatical year (every seventh year) are Biblical commandments concerning ownership of land. The laws concerning the Sabbatical year are still observed by many religious Jews in the State of Israel, while the Yovel has not been observed for many centuries.
The concept of the Jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In the Biblical book of Leviticus, a Jubilee year is mentioned to occur every fifty years, in which slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest. In Christianity, the tradition dates to 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII convoked a holy year.
Jubilee (1966) is a critically acclaimed historical novel written by Margaret Walker, which focuses on the story of a biracial slave during the Civil War. It is set in Georgia and later in various parts of Alabama in the mid-1800s before, during, and after the Civil War.