{{short description|Particular anniversary; in the Bible, the fiftieth}} {{Hatnote group| {{other uses}} {{distinguish|Jollibee}} }} {{more citations needed|date=August 2017}} A '''jubilee''' is often used to refer to a celebration, commemoration, or anniversary. "Jubilation" for joyful celebration comes from "jubilee". The term comes from the Hebrew Bible, initially concerning a recurring religious observance involving a set number of years, that notably involved freeing of debt slaves. Emperors of ancient Rome customarily marked anniversaries of their rule with celebrations, although they did not use the term "jubilee." Jubilee is also a term used in Roman Catholicism for special years. The term came into English usage from translation of the Bible, together with customary celebration of a reign, and at least since the 19th century is regularly used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of monarchs after a milestone number of years have passed.
==Religious usage== {{Main|Jubilee (biblical)|Jubilee in the Catholic Church}} The jubilee ({{langx|he|יובל}} ''yovel'') year (every 50th year) and the sabbatical year (every seventh year) are Biblical commandments concerning ownership of land and slaves. The laws concerning the sabbatical year are still observed by many religious Jews in the State of Israel,{{cn|date=March 2025}} while the jubilee has not been observed for many centuries, if at all (before the 'peshitto' era of the Vulgate-inspired bible). According to the Hebrew Bible, every seventh year farmers in the land of Israel are commanded to let their land lie fallow, and slaves were freed. The celebration of the jubilee is the fiftieth year, that is, the year after seven sabbatical cycles. Jubilee was to recognize that by tradition all property belongs to God, not the individual Jew. For the Jew, returning of possessions to God was/is a religious vow or dedication.
In Roman Catholic tradition, a jubilee is "a special year called by the church to receive blessing and pardon from God" instituted every 50 or 25 years since the year 1300.<ref>{{cite web|title=Francis announces new global jubilee, the Holy Year of Mercy|url=https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-announces-new-global-jubilee-holy-year-mercy|work=National Catholic Reporter|access-date=23 August 2017|language=en|date=13 March 2015}}</ref>
==Terms for anniversaries== {{See also|Decennalia|List of jubilees of British monarchs}} Following the model of Augustus, the Roman emperors typically celebrated major jubilees on the 10th years of their reigns. The decennalia marked the 10th year, the vicennalia the 20th, and{{mdash}}in the case of Constantine the Great{{mdash}}the tricennalia the 30th. Smaller festivals sometimes occurred on the 5th years between these. For modern monarchs, the dates are typically connected with precious metals and gemstones:
*Silver jubilee, for a 25th anniversary.<ref name="Collins_silver">{{Cite web |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/silver-jubilee |title=silver jubilee in British English |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=collinsdictionary.com |publisher=HarperCollins |at=Collins English Dictionary |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241223012421/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/silver-jubilee |archive-date=2024-12-23}}</ref> *Ruby jubilee, for a 40th anniversary.<ref>Usage example: {{cite news |title=Queen Margrethe II of Denmark marks 40 years on the throne|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-16531823 |work=BBC News |date=12 January 2012 |access-date=2024-12-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105181712/https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-16531823 |archive-date=2024-01-05}}</ref> *Golden jubilee, for a 50th anniversary.<ref name="Collins_golden">{{Cite web |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/golden-jubilee |title=golden jubilee in British English |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=collinsdictionary.com |publisher=HarperCollins |at=Collins English Dictionary |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241223014255/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/golden-jubilee |archive-date=2024-12-23}}</ref> *Diamond jubilee, for either a 60th<ref name="Collins_diamond"/><ref name="Spectator20080419"/> or 75th<ref name="Collins_diamond">{{Cite web |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/diamond-jubilee |title=diamond jubilee in British English |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=collinsdictionary.com |publisher=HarperCollins |at=Collins English Dictionary |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241223010513/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/diamond-jubilee |archive-date=2024-12-23}}</ref><ref name="Spectator20080419">{{Cite web |url=http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/19th-april-2008/19/mind-your-language |title=Mind your language |date=2008-04-19 |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=The Spectator Archive |last=Wordsworth |first=Dot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418012411/https://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/19th-april-2008/19/mind-your-language |archive-date=2023-04-18 |url-status=live |publisher=The Spectator (1828) Ltd |language=en}}</ref> anniversary. *Sapphire jubilee, for a 65th anniversary.<ref>Usage example: {{cite news |title=Queen's Sapphire Jubilee: Gun salutes mark 65 years on the throne|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538 |work=BBC News |date=2017-02-06 |access-date=2024-12-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002064244/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38872538 |archive-date=2024-10-02}}</ref> *Platinum jubilee, for a 70th anniversary.<ref name="Collins_platinum">{{Cite web |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/platinum-jubilee |title=platinum jubilee in British English |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=collinsdictionary.com |publisher=HarperCollins |at=Collins English Dictionary |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241223013806/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/platinum-jubilee |archive-date=2024-12-23}}</ref>
==See also== * Hierarchy of precious substances * Jubilee line, a London Underground line named after the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II * Wedding anniversary – Celebration and gifts
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Wiktionary|Jubilee|jubilee}} *[https://www.royal.uk/history-jubilees A history of jubilees] – The British Royal Family
{{Authority control}} {{jubilee}} Category:Jubilees