A Universal Calendar

9. The singular position of the City of Rome, episcopal Seat of the Roman Pontiff, and the fact that, for the first time ever, the Jubilee will be celebrated simutaneously in Rome, the Holy Land and in the local Churches, indicates that the Calendar is addressed not only to the Roman Church but to the Church as a whole. (The publication of a Calendar of the celebrations in the Holy Land is envisaged, while the individual Episcopal Conferences are advised to prepare a Calendar that will take account of the festivities specific to each nation.) In Fact, the Calendar should become a model and an instrument of communion for the entire Church by means of the exemplary nature of the celebrations, and, the local Church should be involved in such a way that all the faithful, in celebrating the mystery of Christ, can sense the unity of the faith.

In order to bring this about, the Central Committee will not be remiss in providing liturgical materials to the local Churches which, if properly adapted to local use and traditions, will constitute a strong link between Rome and the local Churches.

Another mark of the universality and unity in the faith will be provided by the diversity of participants: every "Roman" celebration will be universal because it will involve representatives of the nations and differing ecclesial realities.

The involvement of the faithful of the world will also be made possible through the use of the modern means of social communications which will promote the joyful participation of that which is celebrated in Rome during this "First Jubilee of the telematic era".

Lastly, the universality will be seen from the celebrations in all the liturgical rites. The "Calendar of the Holy Year of 2000" could not ignore this remarkable ecclesiastical reality, which bears witness to the catholicity of the Church. Thus there will be celebrations in these rites: Syro-Oriental, Syro-Antiochene (2), Alexandrine-Ethiopian, Copt, Armenian, Byzantine, Ambrosian and Mozarabic.