Popes and Anniversaries: The Opening of the Holy Door in History

By Amedeo Lomonaco

One of the symbolic images of each anniversary is that of the Pope 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 1450 description by Giovanni Rucellai of Viterbo, it was Pope Martin V in 1423 who first opened the Holy Door during a jubilee year in the Lateran Basilica. In the Vatican Basilica, the opening of the Holy Door was first documented on Christmas 1499, when Pope Alexander VI. ordered the Holy Door to be opened not only in the Lateran Basilica but also in other Roman basilicas.

The opening of the Holy Door

The opening of the Holy Door by the Pope marks the beginning of the anniversary. The Holy Year 2025 includes this ritual, followed by the celebration of Holy Mass on Christmas Eve in St. Peter’s Basilica. The interior wall sealing the Holy Door was recently dismantled and the metal box containing the key to open the door was recovered. The Pope symbolically pushes open the door, while the traditional use of a hammer to hit the brick seal on the outside has been discontinued for security reasons. After the ceremony, the door remains open all year round to allow pilgrims to pass through. This gesture means a full experience of the enjoyment associated with the Holy Year.

Crossing this threshold also symbolizes the path of conversion, which is sealed by the encounter with Christ, the “door”, which unites us with the Father. The anniversaries are part of a profound story of faith that opens its doors to the world – a journey in which the steps of the Pope unite with those of God’s people on the paths of forgiveness.

File photo of Pope Francis crossing the threshold of the Holy Door in 2015

The anniversary of 1900

One of the main goals of the anniversary year 1900 was to face the challenges of modernization. The Holy Door was opened on December 24, 1899. From the early hours of the morning, as reported in the Christmas edition of L’Osservatore Romano, “Unusual activity” can be observed throughout the city. Carriages of cardinals, bishops, diplomats and nobles as well as many pilgrims on foot or by public transport made their way to the “largest temple of Christianity”. In St. Peter’s Square the sight of the carriages coming from the surrounding streets was “imposing”. Pope Leo XIII, “the first and only,” crossed the Holy Door and entered the basilica. At the end of the ceremony, the doors were opened to allow the worshipers to enter.

The Holy Year 1925

On December 24, 1924, Christmas Eve, Pope Pius XI opened the church. the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica. The solemn ceremony marked the beginning of the Holy Year, according to the Vatican newspaper. The rite took place in the portico of St. Peter’s Basilica, with the papal throne on one side of the Holy Door and the choir of the Papal Band in the background. Before entering the portico, the Pope mounted sitting sedia gestatoria (portable throne) under a canopy. After singing “Veni Creator,” Pius XI approached. of the Holy Door, received a gavel given by Catholic bishops from around the world and struck the Holy Door three times while pronouncing the ritual words before crossing the threshold and inaugurating the Jubilee.

The anniversary of 1933

An extraordinary anniversary was declared in 1933 on the occasion of the 1900th anniversary of Christ’s death. Over two million pilgrims came to Rome this Holy Year. On April 3, the opening of the Holy Door marked the beginning of the Jubilee of Redemption. L’Osservatore Romano noted that “attendance at St. Peter, St. John, St. Paul and St. Mary Major that day was enormous.” 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 at the “extraordinary gift of grace” when Pope Pius XII. The Holy Door opened with three symbolic blows of the hammer. After performing the first rites in the Sistine Chapel, the Pope went to the Holy Door and struck it, chanting verses such as “Open to me the gates of justice.” At the third blow, the brick wall that sealed the door collapsed, and the Pope crossed the threshold and opened the jubilee, holding a candle symbolizing faith and charity.

Archive photo of Pope Pius XII opening the Holy Door in 1950

The anniversary of 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 rite included singing invocations to the Holy Spirit and blessing the doorposts with holy water before the pope crossed the threshold.

Archive photo of Pope Paul VI opening the Holy Door in 1975

The Holy Year 1983

In 1983, the suffering and resurrection of Christ was celebrated with an extraordinary anniversary. On March 25, Pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door and emphasized its symbolic nature as entry into a state of grace and salvation.

Archive photo of Pope John Paul II opening the Holy Door in 1983

The anniversary 2000

On Christmas Eve 1999, Pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. The act symbolized two millennia of history brought together in one solemn moment. The Pope’s prayerful crossing of the threshold was greeted with worldwide applause and was a sign of hope for the new millennium.

The Holy Year 2015

The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy began on November 29, 2015 with the opening by Pope Francis of the Holy Door of Notre Dame Cathedral in Bangui, Central African Republic. On December 8th he opened it together with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. in a symbolic gesture of continuity the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis opens the Holy Door in Bangui Cathedral in 2015

The upcoming Holy Year 2025 seeks to continue this tradition and highlight the love of God and the hope of salvation in Christ.