Invitation to visit Jubilee Icon

In order to celebrate and commemorate the Jubilee Year 2025, Pilgrims of Hope, CAFOD commissioned an icon from artist Mulugeta Araya in Ethiopia, for the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

Ethiopia was chosen because of the strong tradition of iconography within the country and to demonstrate that this is a global Jubilee – not just something that is happening in England and Wales.

Tigray, the region in northern Ethiopia where the artist lives, is experiencing armed conflict, which has forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes. Increasing droughts, irregular rains and poor soil mean many families are struggling to get enough to eat.

This is particularly relevant given the Jubilee Year’s focus on those struggling with poverty. The challenges of painting an icon in this situation inspire us to reflect on the Jubilee text and this icon in a new light.

The icon is visiting The Church of Blessed Dominic Barberi and Newman College in Littlemore, Oxford, from Wednesday 8 to Wednesday 15 January, (pictured above and below).

It will then move to St Chad's Cathedral from Thursday 16 to Tuesday 21 January.

The final stop will be St Teresa of the Child Jesus, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent, from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 January.

If you would like to make a visit, please contact the venues directly:

Blessed Dominic Barberi, Oxford

St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham

St Teresa of the Child Jesus, Trent Vale, Stoke-on-Trent

The icon will then be taken to other dioceses across the country.