Vatican · Holy Year of Mercy

Issue date13 Oct 2016

Total mintage98,000

EU maximum105,000

Editions3

Edge lettering2 ★ × 6, alternately upright/inverted

Inscription2016 / R / M. CRISCIOTTI

DesignerMariangela Crisciotti (Claudia Momoni)

mintInstituto Poligrafico e Zecca Dello Stato, Roma

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin is dedicated to the Jubilee of Mercy (Heiliges Jahr der Barmherzigkeit). The motif shows Saint Martin of Tours, who shares his cloak with a beggar, surrounded by the inscriptions “GIUBILEO DELLA MISERICORDIA” and “CITTÀ DEL VATICANO”.

The design

The national side depicts Saint Martin of Tours sharing his cloak with a beggar. Along the left edge of the coin runs the inscription “GIUBILEO DELLA MISERICORDIA”, and along the right edge of the coin the inscription “CITTÀ DEL VATICANO”. The year of issue “2016” is shown on the right, while the mint mark “R” and the name of the coin’s designer, “M. CRISCIOTTI”, appear at the bottom.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the coin’s outer ring.

Background on the topic

The Holy Year of Mercy was an extraordinary Jubilee Year of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Francis announced it in 2015 with the bull *Misericordiae vultus*. It began on 8 December 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and ended on 20 November 2016, Christ the King Sunday. Unlike regular Holy Years, which have generally taken place at intervals of 25 years since 1475, it was convened on a special occasion outside this rhythm.

Jubilee Years in the Catholic tradition serve the purposes of conversion, forgiveness and reconciliation. One of their features is passing through a Holy Door. During the Year of Mercy, such doors were opened not only at the papal basilicas in Rome, but also in cathedrals and other selected churches worldwide. This was intended to ensure that participation would not be limited to pilgrimages to Rome. Pope Francis placed both forgiveness through God and concrete assistance for people in need at the centre.

Martin of Tours lived in the 4th century. He came from Pannonia in the Roman Empire, initially served in the Roman army, was baptised and later became a monk and Bishop of Tours. The best-known story from his life takes place near Amiens, before his baptism: after helping a needy man, Christ is said to have appeared to him in a dream. The tradition became a widespread symbol of Christian charity.

The choice of Martin therefore establishes a direct connection with the guiding idea of the Jubilee. His act illustrates one of the traditional corporal works of mercy, namely clothing the needy. The occasion for the coin’s issue was thus not only a period of ecclesiastical celebration, but also an appeal to make mercy visible through practical care. For the Vatican, it was natural to take up this central theme of the pontificate of Pope Francis on a commemorative coin as well.