e ▁Year ▁of ▁Mer cy , ▁to ▁run ▁from ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁So lem n ity ▁of ▁the ▁Im mac ulate ▁Con ception ▁of ▁the ▁B less ed ▁Virgin ▁Mary , ▁to ▁the ▁last ▁Sunday ▁before ▁Advent ▁and ▁the ▁So lem n ity ▁of ▁the ▁Fe ast ▁of ▁Christ ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁the ▁Un iverse ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁Holy ▁Do ors ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁bas il icas ▁of ▁Rome ▁( including ▁the ▁Great ▁Do or ▁of ▁St . ▁Peter ' s ) ▁were ▁opened , ▁and ▁special ▁" Do ors ▁of ▁Mer cy " ▁were ▁opened ▁at ▁c athed r als ▁and ▁other ▁major ▁churches ▁around ▁the ▁world , ▁where ▁the ▁faithful ▁can ▁ear n ▁indul gen ces ▁by ▁ful fill ing ▁the ▁usual ▁conditions ▁of ▁prayer ▁for ▁the ▁Pope ' s ▁intent ions , ▁conf ession , ▁and ▁det achment ▁from ▁sin , ▁and ▁commun ion . ▁During ▁L ent ▁of ▁that ▁year , ▁special ▁ 2 4 - hour ▁pen ance ▁services ▁will ▁be ▁celebrated , ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁year , ▁special ▁qualified ▁and ▁experienced ▁pri ests ▁called ▁" M ission aries ▁of ▁Mer cy " ▁will ▁be ▁available ▁in ▁every ▁dioc ese ▁to ▁forg ive ▁even ▁severe , ▁special - case ▁s ins ▁normally ▁reserved ▁to ▁the ▁Holy ▁See ' s ▁Apost ol ic ▁Pen it enti ary . ▁ ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁established ▁the ▁World ▁Day ▁of ▁the ▁Po or ▁in ▁his ▁Apost ol