By Christopher Khoo
SINGAPORE — Visitors to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Singapore this year will notice several significant structures at the venue.
One is the Jubilee Crucifix of Hope placed in front of the statue of St Joseph inside the building. Another is the Jubilee Year of Hope logo placed at the Marian grotto outside the building, and another is a banner hailing the election of Pope Leo XIV at the cathedral entrance.
The Jubilee Crucifix of Hope is a historic cathedral altar crucifix dating from the time when the local Church administration was under the French missionaries. They learnt the languages and customs of Singapore and journeyed with the local community to grow the Church.
In this Jubilee Year, one can obtain a plenary indulgence by visiting this crucifix, going to confession, receiving the Eucharist, praying for the intentions of the Pope and performing an act of mercy or charity.
The Jubilee Year of Hope logo, which is lighted up at night, shows a community of people moving towards the Cross.
According to Vatican News, the four stylised figures “indicate all of humanity from the four corners of the earth. They each embrace one another, indicating the solidarity and brotherhood that must unite peoples.”
It adds that the underlying waves below the figures “are choppy to indicate that the pilgrimage of life is not always on calm waters”. The lower part of the Cross is depicted as an anchor as “anchors often have been used as metaphors for hope. The image shows how the pilgrim’s journey is not individual, but rather communal,” says Vatican News.
The recent election of Pope Leo XIV has been met with much joy by the Archdiocese and the banner hailing his election, placed near the cathedral’s entrance, exemplifies this sentiment. Pope Leo is expected to continue the work of Pope Francis in celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope.
Cardinal William Goh, Catholic Archbishop of Singapore, has expressed hope in various media interviews that the new pontiff will bring about greater unity within the Universal Church.
Cardinal Goh launched the Jubilee Year in the Archdiocese with a Mass on Dec 28, 2024. The cathedral has been designated as the local pilgrimage site for the Archdiocese of Singapore throughout the Jubilee Year.
Christopher Khoo is a Singapore-based freelance journalist and educator.
