- Archbishop Martins urges participation in Jubilee Year 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope”
- Enjoins Diocesan Chaplains to attend LEP-CBCN plenary meetings
- Says 24-hour Eucharistic Adoration in March is crucial
The President of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (LEP-CBCN), Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins has urged Catholic faithful and societies to participate in the Jubilee Year 2025. Highlighting the significance of the Jubilee Year, themed “Pilgrims of Hope,” he noted that the jubilee year, celebrated every 25 years, is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on hope and its role in the lives of the faithful. He gave this charge at the first plenary meeting of LEP-CBCN held on Tuesday, January 21, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos. Archbishop Martins emphasised that the Jubilee Year 2025, also known as the Jubilee of Hope, aims to inspire individuals to secure themselves in hope, trusting in God’s majesty and goodness.

He called on the Provincial Chaplains and Lay Leaders to utilise their respective Directorates, Commissions, Congregations, Councils and Societies, to promote hope and extend hope to others within their spheres of influence. The Archbishop implored the attendees to cultivate a disposition of hope, drawing inspiration from the word of God. He noted that the beginning of the liturgical year marked the solemnity of the word of God, which provides guidance on hope, love, and faith. According to him, the Jubilee Year celebrations have commenced at the universal Church level, as well as in local Churches worldwide; and various sectors and groups of the Church will have their own jubilee celebrations. He said, “The Jubilee Year has already started at the universal Church level, at the local Churches level, and at all sectors in all local Churches all over the world.
And therefore, we want to use this opportunity to encourage everyone, every society to participate in the activities of the Jubilee year 2025. “As you know, there will be Jubilees for different groups; for women, for men, for young people, for children, for bishops, for priests, for the religious, which span through the year which began December last year and will close January of next year by the grace of God. “And so, the effort here is to encourage us, to encourage all members of the different associations to ensure that we actually take active part in the activities of the Jubilee year in our province and in our different dioceses and in our parishes.”


The Archbishop urged Provincial Chaplains to attend subsequent meetings of the LEP-CBCN meeting accompanied by their Diocesan Chaplains. This gesture aims to foster a sense of unity and cooperation among chaplains, recognising the vital role they play in their respective dioceses. He stressed that the presence of chaplains from various associations is crucial. “All the associations, it is important that we must have the Chaplains of each of the associations in order to recognise the importance of what we are doing,” the Archbishop stated. Archbishop Martins informed that as part of Jubilee celebrations, the universal Church has called for a 24- Hour Eucharistic Adoration in March. According to the Archbishop, this activity is crucial in inviting Christ into our lives, especially in today’s world.
The LEP-CBCN President emphasised that Christ is the hope of the world, and it is essential to welcome Him in a special way. This invitation is particularly significant in a world that desperately needs restoration. The Archbishop highlighted the need for restoration in the relationships between God, religion, and nations. To achieve this restoration, the Archbishop encouraged the faithful to focus on the Sacrament of Penance. He urged them to reconcile themselves with God, resolve their differences, and interact with Him on a deeper level. In his words, “One other thing is that we are encouraged to embrace the Sacrament of Penance, to interact and to reconcile ourselves and resolve our differences with God. Please, make these known to members of our different associations to use the Sacrament of Penance. “And also to use the opportunity to ask God for the grace of forgiveness for those you have offended and forgiveness for those that have offended you. This is a crucial part of what is involved in the Jubilee year 2025.”

The meeting, which is a regular feature of the province’s annual calendar, brought together all Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province, including Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos; Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo, Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese; Most Rev. Francis Adesina, Bishop of IjebuOde Diocese and Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Aniagwu, Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. Also in attendance at the meeting were high-ranking priests of Directorates/Commission, leaders of Religious Congregations, Provincial Laity Council and the respective Orders of Knights and Ladies. The gathering provided a platform for the bishops to engage in fruitful discussions, share best practices, and explore ways to address the challenges facing the Church in the province.
The provincial meeting featured a series of presentations and discussions, all designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and to foster a spirit of collaboration and cooperation among the bishops, priests, religious and lay organisations as well as societies. Reports were presented by Laity Council, Church and Society, Association of Male and Female Religious, Association of Diocesan Priests, Directorate of Social Communications, Papal Knights and Medalists as well as the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba Nigeria. The presentations consisted of activities of the groups, their achievements and challenges, as well as the financial reports of the year.