There are certain years which shine as brightly as beacons, about which you have probably heard, and for Catholics these are the Jubilee Years, which consist of 365 extremely special days. Caravaca de la Cruz is one of the most important locations in the Catholic world in this respect, and is the fifth place in the world to have been granted a Jubilee Year "in perpetuity" , a status which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the world even in "normal" years!
A Jubilee Year is not just another year. It is a holy year, in which the values of faith, solidarity and reconciliation are promoted, and the pilgrimage is the shortest route to reconciliation with God.
Over a decade has passed, and two Popes have come and gone, since Caravaca was granted a Holy Jubilee Year in perpetuity to be celebrated every 7 years. This prestige is owed to a curious event which happened in the holy sanctuary centuries ago, when it is said that the True and Holy Cross was carried through this part of Spain, and it is believed that a splinter of the cross on which Jesus Christ died (or "lignum crucis") is still housed in the building.
