Redemption of the Woman of Bethany

Vatican Coins

From the formation of the Vatican State (which we covered in an earlier piece), coins had featured either the pope or his coat of arms on one side, and generally holy figures (Jesus, Mary, saints, angels, etc).

The Vatican issued a consistent set of coins of from 1970 to 1977. These featured peaceful images of flora and fauna such as doves and palm leaves. In 1975, however, a second, circulating commemorative set was issued alongside the regular coins. This was to commemorate The Jubilee.

Jubilee

What is a Jubilee? A Jubilee is a special year of grace and conversion, involving prayer, pilgrimage and sacramental repentance, held every 25 years, or during other years as called for by the Pope. The name Jubilee comes from the instrument used to mark its launch. In this case, the instrument in question is the yobel, the ram’s horn, used to proclaim the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This (Jewish) holiday occurs every year, but it takes on special significance when it marks the beginning of a Jubilee year. We can find an early indication of it in the Bible: in Leviticus 25, declaring that a Jubilee year was to be marked every 50 years.

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a “Holy Year,” since it is a time in which God’s holiness transforms us. The frequency of Holy Years has changed over time, initially every 100 years. By 1470 Pope Paul II made it every 25 years. There have also been “extraordinary” Holy Years: for example, in 1933 Pope Pius XI chose to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of the Redemption, and in 2015 Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of Mercy as an extraordinary jubilee. A list of holy years is available from the Vatican.

The most recent, as I write this in 2026, was last year, 2025. The theme for the Jubilee was “Pilgrims of Hope”. This emphasized the journey of faith, especially the hope found in Christ. As pilgrims, Catholics are called to embark on a spiritual journey, seeking renewal and deeper communion with God. This theme encourages us to trust in God’s promises and be beacons of hope in the world, reflecting the teaching of Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” It invites us to live out our faith with joy and to inspire others through acts of love and mercy.

1975 Jubilee

Pope Paul VI decided that the 1975 Holy Year should be dedicated to reconciliation.

(Photo from Vatican News showing Pope Paul VI kneeling to kiss the feet of Orthodox Metropolitan Meliton of Chalcedon in a gesture of reconciliation between churches.)

The year starts with the opening of the “Holy Door”, a door which is left open for the holy year, but only open during that period. The opening of the door, on Christmas eve, is a ritual event. Traditionally, the pope would strike a masonry wall next to the door with a hammer, which would reveal the box with the key to the door. On Christmas even 1974, however, things didn’t quite go to plan, with debris crashed down around the pontiff. Since then, the ceremony has been simplified, with the pope now simply pushing open the door.

1975 coins

The coins issued for 1975 were based around the theme of the holy year: reconciliation.

• 1 Lire: Faith in the Lord, depicting a man bowing to the Lord, seeking redemption, even though he is plagued by evil (depicted by a devil on his back, I think, it’s hard to find a description anywhere?). This could be the man described in Mark 5.
• 2 Lire: Reconciliation, depicting two people hugging in reconciliation. This could depict Jacob and Esau from Genesis 33. It could also be the Prodigal Son (and his father) from Luke 15:20.
• 10 Lire: Noah’s Ark, depicting the Ark (where after finding humanity corrupt, God spared Noah and his family through their faith.
• 20 Lire: Confidence in the Lord, depicting the Lord, holding a human in His hand. My best guess here is Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• 50 Lire: The Peace of the Lord, depicting someone sleeping with castle walls around them, possibly a reference to Psalm 122:7: “May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”
• 100 Lire: Symbolic Baptism of Man, depicting hands pulling up a net full of fish, possibly Matthew 4:19: “He said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

And then there is today’s coin, the 1975 Vatican 5 Lire:

Obverse

The obverse of the 1975 5 Lire features Pope Paul VI’s coat of arms. This featured three fleurs-de-lis on a field of red, with a stylised mountain below, the papal keys and tiara behind. Pope Paul VI was born Giovanni Montini. The mountain is a reference to his family name, Montini, which means “coming from the mountain”.

Reverse

The Reverse features a woman, drying the feet of Jesus with her hair as he blesses her. The coin is described on Numista and NGC World Price Guide and other places as “Holy Year – Redemption of the Woman of Bethany”. This would lend itself to John 12:1-3, which reads:

“1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

(Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens painted a famous depiction of this scene. Image: Conversatio.org)

Barbara Harper commented on not only this interaction, but the other interaction Mary and her siblings had with Jesus. Although it could be said there is an element of redemption here, I think the image of someone washing Jesus’s feet and earning redemption / reconciliation is also very well shown in this different example from Luke 7:36-50:

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

The most famous example of washing someone’s feet came just a few days after Mary anointed Jesus’s feet. Just before Passover, Jesus washed the disciples feet, saying in John 13:

“15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

The theme of the 1975 Jubilee was “Reconciliation”. The imagery on the coins of that year demonstrate biblical examples of reconciliation, redemption and forgiveness.

Other scenes from the bible have been depicted on coins. What is your favourite? Let us know!