In a post on his X account @Pontifex, a vital channel for reaching millions in nine languages, the Pope highlights the intimate nature of this significant ecclesial event.
One of the symbolic images of every Jubilee is that of the Pope crossing the threshold of the Holy Door. This moment has deep roots in the Middle Ages, with the first pilgrim to cross the threshold always being the Bishop of Rome. As described by Giovanni Rucellai of Viterbo in 1450, it was Pope Martin V who, in 1423, first opened the Holy Door in the history of Jubilee years, with the backdrop of St. John Lateran Basilica. In St. Peter's Basilica, the opening of the Holy Door was first recorded at Christmas in 1499. Pope Alexander VI decreed that it should be opened not only at St. John Lateran but also at other Roman basilicas.
The Opening of the Holy Door
The opening of the Holy Door by the Pope marks the beginning of the Jubilee. The Holy Year of 2025 will include, after this rite, the celebration of the Holy Mass on Christmas Eve within St. Peter's Basilica. The wall sealing the door from the inside has been dismantled in recent days, and the metal box containing the key to open the door has been extracted. The Pope will symbolically push the door open, and for safety reasons, the use of the hammer, once used to strike the brick diaphragm that previously closed the door from the outside, has been abandoned. After the Pope presides over the rite, the door remains open throughout the year to allow pilgrims to pass through. This gesture allows for a full experience of the indulgence associated with the Holy Year. Crossing this threshold signifies that one’s path of conversion is sealed by an encounter with Christ, the “Door” that unites us to the Father. Jubilees are part of a profound history of faith that opens its doors to the world, a journey where the footsteps of the Pope align with those of the people of God on the paths of forgiveness.
The Holy Year of 1900
The aim was to overcome the challenges of modernization during the Jubilee of 1900. On December 24, 1899, the Holy Door was opened. From the early hours of the morning, L’Osservatore Romano noted “unusual activity” throughout the city. Elegant carriages carrying cardinals, bishops, diplomats, and princes made their way “to the greatest Temple of Christianity.” Many pilgrims also arrived on foot or via public transport. The spectacle became “imposing” as carriages flowed from the neighborhoods surrounding the Basilica. Pope Leo XIII was the first to cross the threshold and enter the Basilica. Once the service concluded, the entrances were opened to allow the faithful to enter.
The Holy Year of 1925
On December 24, 1924, Christmas Eve, Pope Pius XI opened the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica. The solemn ceremony marked the beginning of the Holy Year, as reported by the Vatican's daily. The rite was held in the portico of St. Peter's Basilica, with the papal throne positioned before the royal tribunes. After the singing of "Veni Creator," Pius XI approached the Holy Door, received the hammer from the Catholic episcopate, and struck the door three times while reciting the ritual words. He then crossed the threshold to commence the Jubilee.
The Holy Year of 1933
An extraordinary Jubilee was declared in 1933 to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of Jesus' death. Over two million pilgrims arrived in Rome for this Holy Year. On April 3 of that year, the opening of the Holy Door marked the beginning of the Jubilee of Redemption. Throughout the day, L’Osservatore Romano reported a significant influx at St. Peter’s, St. John’s, St. Paul’s, and Santa Maria Maggiore. Hours after the inaugural ceremony, Pope Pius XI received 500 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Milan, who had come to witness the opening of the Holy Door.
The Holy Year of 1950
On December 24, 1949, the Christian world rejoiced with the headline from L’Osservatore Romano proclaiming “exceptional grace”: Pope Pius XII opened the Holy Door with three strikes of the hammer. The Pope, dressed in a wide white silk robe, approached the Sistine Chapel for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, then sang “Veni Creator” as he made his way to the statue of Constantine. Upon entering the portico of the Basilica, he received the hammer and struck the Holy Door while singing, “Aperite mihi portas Justitiae.” After the third strike, the wall fell away, and the Pope, holding a candle symbolizing faith and charity, advanced uncovered and sang the “Te Deum.” At 10:55, the Jubilee was opened.
The Holy Year of 1975
The Holy Year of 1975 was dedicated to reconciliation. The rite for the opening of the Holy Door took place on Christmas eve 1974, beginning with the entrance of Pope Paul VI, preceded by the ministering clergy in the atrium of the Basilica. After the invocation to the Holy Spirit was sung, the Pope approached the Holy Door. The Cardinal Penitentiary handed him the hammer, and Pope Paul VI struck the door three times, alternating with the assembly in singing the verses that began with the words: “Open to me the gates of righteousness.” Once the singing was completed, the Pope returned to the Chair, and at that moment, the Holy Door was removed. The doorposts were blessed with holy water by the four penitentiaries of the Vatican Basilica. The choir then sang a Psalm, and the Pope recited the ancient prayer "Deus qui per Moysem." Kneeling at the threshold of the Holy Door and holding the pastoral cross in his hand, he crossed the threshold. During the opening, some debris fell from above, narrowly missing Pope Paul VI, but fortunately without any consequences. This incident led to a modification of the rite, and the wall that closed the door has since been constructed inside the Basilica.
The Holy Year of 1983
In 1983, the Jubilee of Redemption was celebrated, a bridge to the third millennium. Pope John Paul II called the Catholic community to commemorate the death and resurrection of the Lord during this Holy Year.
The Holy Year of 2000
On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1999, Pope John Paul II opened the door for the Great Jubilee of 2000. In the long silence accompanying the Pope's gestures, the history of two millennia seemed to condense. On his knees, with his hands clinging to the Cross, Pope Wojtyła opened the Holy Year, marking the dawn of the third millennium.
The Holy Year of 2015
The opening of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015 coincided with the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council. This event is linked to two dates: November 29, when Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Bangui during his apostolic journey to Africa, and December 8.
The Jubilee is a gift of grace. The upcoming Holy Year of 2025 continues these special times of grace, tracing its origins back to 1300 and the papacy of Boniface VIII. “Now,” emphasizes Pope Francis in the proclamation Spes non confundit, “the time has come for a new Jubilee, to open the Holy Door once more to offer the living experience of God's love, which inspires in the heart a certain hope of salvation in Christ.”
Source: Vatican News
