Popes and Jubilees: The opening of the Holy Door in history
By Amedeo Lomonaco
One of the symbolic images of every Jubilee is that of the Pontiff crossing the threshold of the Holy Door. This is a moment deeply rooted in the Middle Ages. The first pilgrim to cross the threshold is always the Bishop of Rome. According to a description from 1450 by Giovanni Rucellai of Viterbo, it was Pope Martin V in 1423 who first opened the Holy Door during a Jubilee year, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. At the Vatican Basilica, the opening of the Holy Door was first documented on Christmas of 1499, when Pope Alexander VI ordered the Holy Door to 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 includes this ritual, followed by the celebration of Holy Mass on Christmas Eve inside St. Peter's Basilica. The inner wall sealing the Holy Door was recently dismantled, and the metal box containing the key to open the door was retrieved. The Pope symbolically pushes the door open, while the traditional use of a hammer to strike the brick seal on the outside has been discontinued for safety reasons. After the ceremony, the door remains open for the entire year to allow pilgrims to pass through. This gesture signifies a complete experience of the indulgence associated with the Holy Year.
Crossing this threshold also symbolizes the journey of conversion, sealed by the encounter with Christ, the "door", uniting us with the Father. The Jubilees are part of a profound history of faith that opens its doors to the world—a journey in which the steps of the Pontiff join those of the people of God, along the paths of forgiveness.
The Jubilee of 1900
One of the main objectives of the Jubilee of 1900 consisted in taking on the challenges of modernization. On December 24, 1899, the Holy Door was opened. From the early morning hours, as reported in the Christmas edition of L'Osservatore Romano, "an unusual bustle" could be seen throughout the city. Carriages belonging to cardinals, bishops, diplomats, and nobility, as well as many pilgrims on foot or using public transportation, headed toward "the largest temple of Christianity." In St. Peter’s Square, the sight of carriages flowing from nearby streets became "imposing." Pope Leo XIII, "first and alone," crossed the Holy Door and entered the Basilica. Once the ceremony ended, the doors 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, according to the Vatican’s newspaper, marked the beginning of the Holy Year. The rite took place in the portico of St. Peter’s, with the papal throne on one side of the Holy Door and the choir of the Pontifical Musical Chapel in the background. Before entering the portico, the Pope ascended seated on the sedia gestatoria (portable throne) under a canopy. After the singing of "Veni Creator," Pius XI approached the Holy Door, received a hammer gifted by the catholic bishops from across the world, and struck the Holy Door three times while pronouncing the ritual words before crossing the threshold and inaugurating the Jubilee.
The Jubilee of 1933
Marking the 1900th anniversary of Christ’s death, an extraordinary Jubilee was proclaimed in 1933. Over two million pilgrims arrived in Rome for that Holy Year. On April 3, the opening of the Holy Door marked the beginning of the Jubilee of Redemption. L'Osservatore Romano noted that “the attendance at St. Peter’s, St. John’s, St. Paul’s, and St. Mary Major was enormous” on that day. Hours after the inaugural ceremony, Pius XI received 500 pilgrims from Milan in a special audience.
The Holy Year of 1950
On December 24, 1949, the Christian world rejoiced before the “exceptional gift of grace,” as Pope Pius XII opened the Holy Door with three symbolic strikes of a hammer. After performing the initial rites in the Sistine Chapel, the Pope processed to the Holy Door, striking it while singing verses like "Open to me the gates of righteousness." At the third strike, the brick wall sealing the door crumbled, and the Pontiff, holding a candle symbolizing faith and charity, crossed the threshold, inaugurating the Jubilee.
The Jubilee of 1975
Dedicated to reconciliation, the Holy Year of 1975 began on Christmas Eve 1974 with Pope Paul VI opening the Holy Door. The rite included the singing of invocations to the Holy Spirit and the blessing of the doorposts with holy water before the Pope crossed the threshold.
The Holy Year of 1983
In 1983, an extraordinary Jubilee commemorated 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 a state of grace and salvation.
The Jubilee of 2000
On Christmas Eve 1999, Pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door for the Great Jubilee of 2000. The act symbolized two millennia of history condensed into a solemn moment. The Pope’s prayerful crossing of the threshold was met with worldwide applause, signifying hope for the new millennium.
The Holy Year of 2015
The extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy began on November 29, 2015, with Pope Francis opening the Holy Door of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bangui, Central African Republic. On December 8, he opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, joined by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a symbolic gesture of continuity.
The upcoming Holy Year of 2025 seeks to continue this tradition, emphasizing God’s love and the hope of salvation in Christ.
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