It will run from Oct. 11, 2012 to Nov. 24, 2013. Announcing this special year with the Moto Proprio “Porta Fidei” the Pope said that the Year of Faith:

“is a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world. In the mystery of his death and resurrection, God has revealed in its fullness the Love that saves and calls us to conversion of life through the forgiveness of sins (cf. Acts 5:31). For Saint Paul, this Love ushers us into a new life: “We were buried ... with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4). Through faith, this new life shapes the whole of human existence according to the radical new reality of the resurrection. To the extent that he freely cooperates, man’s thoughts and affections, mentality and conduct are slowly purified and transformed, on a journey that is never completely finished in this life. “Faith working through love” (Gal 5:6) becomes a new criterion of understanding and action that changes the whole of man’s life (cf. Rom 12:2; Col 3:9-10; Eph 4:20-29; 2 Cor 5:17).”

The opening liturgy will take place in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 11, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council. At a recent press conference Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization explained how “There will be a solemn Eucharistic celebration concelebrated by the Synod Fathers, the presidents of the world’s Episcopal conferences and by Council Fathers who are still alive”.  He also explained the logo chosen for the year: “The boat is the sign of the Church, and you can see this is a moment of movement,” he explained, “we also have the cross, and the cross is the sign of love, it’s the sign of our faith. And together with the cross there is the sign of the Eucharist, and the Eucharist for us is at the center of our lives, it is the center of the life of faith.”   Further information to follow. See also www.annusfidei.va.