One of the symbolic images of each Jubilee is the scene of the Pope crossing the threshold of the Holy Gate. This moment has deep roots in the Middle Ages. The first pilgrim to cross the threshold is always the Bishop of Rome. According to Giovanni Rucellai of Viterbo's account from 1450, it was Pope Martin V who first opened the Holy Door in 1423 during the Jubilee Year in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. In the Vatican Basilica, the opening of the Holy Door is first documented at Christmas of 1499, when Pope Alexander VI ordered the opening of the Holy Door not only in the Basilica of St. John Lateran but also in other Roman basilicas.
Starting with the Holy Year 1900, we will recall some of the key moments of the ceremonies of the opening of the Holy Gate.
"I am the door. He who enters by me will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." (From the Gospel of John)
Opening of the Holy Gate
With the opening of the Holy Gate by the Pope, every Jubilee begins. The Holy Year 2025 includes this ritual, followed by the celebration of Mass on Christmas Eve inside St Peter's Basilica. Recently, the inner wall enclosing the Holy Gate was dismantled and a metal box containing the key to open it was retrieved. The Pope pushes the door, the older practice of using a hammer to strike the brick closure on the outside has been discontinued for security reasons. After the ceremony, the gate remains open all year for pilgrims to pass through. This gesture signifies the full enjoyment of the indulgences associated with the Holy Year.
Crossing this threshold also symbolizes the journey of conversion, sealed by the encounter with Christ, the "door" that connects us with the Father. Jubilees are part of the profound history of a faith that opens its doors to the world - a journey in which the Pope's steps join those of the People of God on the path of forgiveness.
Archival photo of Pope Francis crossing the threshold of the Holy Gate in 2015
Jubilee 1900
One of the main objectives of the 1900 Jubilee was to take up the challenge of modernisation. On 24 December 1899, the Holy Door was opened. From the early hours of the morning, as reported in the Christmas edition of the L'Osservatore Romano...an "unusual bustle" was seen throughout the city. The carriages of cardinals, bishops, diplomats and nobles headed to the "greatest temple of Christianity", as did many pilgrims on foot or using public transport. In St Peter's Square, the sight of carriages streaming in from the surrounding streets became "impressive". Pope Leo XIII, "first and alone", passed through the Holy Gate and entered the Basilica. As soon as the ceremony was over, the doors opened to allow the faithful to enter.
Holy Year 1925
On December 24, 1924, Christmas Eve, Pope Pius XI opened the church. The Holy Gate in St. Peter's Basilica. According to the Vatican newspaper, the ceremony marked the beginning of the Holy Year. The ceremony took place in the portico of St. Peter's, with the papal throne on one side of the Holy Gate and the choir of the Pontifical Choir in the background. The Pope entered the portico seated on the sedia gestatoria (portable throne) under the canopy. After singing "Veni Creator", Pius XI approached the Holy Gate, accepted the hammer donated by Catholic bishops from all over the world and struck the Holy Gate three times, saying the words of the ritual, after which he crossed the threshold and opened the Jubilee.
Jubilee in 1933
On the occasion of the 1900th anniversary of Christ's death, an extraordinary Jubilee was proclaimed in 1933. More than two million pilgrims came to Rome for this Holy Year. The Jubilee of Redemption began with the opening of the Holy Gate on April 3. L'Osservatore Romano noted that "the attendance at St. Peter's, St. John's, St. Paul's and Our Lady the Greater was enormous on this day." A few hours after the opening ceremony, Pius XI received 500 pilgrims from Milan in a special audience.
The Holy Year 1950
On December 24, 1949, the Christian world rejoiced before the "extraordinary gift of grace" when Pope Pius XII opened the Holy Door with three symbolic hammer blows. After performing the opening rites in the Sistine Chapel, the Pope approached the Holy Gate and struck it while chanting verses such as "Open to me the gates of justice." At the third strike, the brick wall enclosing the door crumbled, and the Pope, holding a candle symbolizing faith and love, crossed the threshold, inaugurating the Jubilee.
Archival image of Pope Pius XII opening the Holy Gate in 1950
Jubilee in 1975
The Holy Year 1975, dedicated to reconciliation, began on Christmas Eve 1974 with the opening of the Holy Door by Pope Paul VI. The ceremony included the singing of invocations to the Holy Spirit and the blessing of the gate with holy water before the Pope crossed the threshold.
Archival image of Pope Paul VI opening the Holy Gate in 1975
Holy Year 1983
In 1983, an extraordinary Jubilee was held commemorating the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. On March 25, Pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door, emphasizing its symbolic nature as an entry into the state of grace and salvation.
Archival image of Pope John Paul II opening the Holy Gate in 1983
Jubilee of the year 2000
On Christmas Eve 1999, Pope John Paul II opened the church. The Holy Gate on the Great Jubilee of the year 2000. This act symbolized two millennia of history condensed into a solemn moment. The Pope's prayerful crossing of the threshold was met with worldwide applause and was a sign of hope for the new millennium.
Holy Year 2015
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy began on November 29, 2015, when Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bangui, Central African Republic. On December 8, he opened the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica, joined by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a symbolic gesture of continuity.
Pope Francis opens the Holy Door at Bangui Cathedral in 2015
The upcoming Holy Year 2025 seeks to continue this tradition, emphasizing God's love and the hope of salvation in Christ.
Vaticannews/ gnews - RoZ
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