Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar of Rome, solemnly opened the Holy Door of the major basilica of St. John Lateran for the Jubilee 2025 on December 29, 2024. The right side entrance to the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome will be open to pilgrims throughout the Jubilee, until it is officially closed on December 28, 2025.
Pope Francis is not opening all the Holy Doors of the major Roman basilicas for Jubilee 2025, unlike the last Jubilee of Mercy in 2016. Although he did push open the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter on December 24, just before Christmas Eve Mass, as well as an exceptionally installed Holy Door in the Roman prison of Rebibbia on December 26, he has entrusted the other three major basilicas in the Eternal City to cardinals.
During the Great Jubilee of 2000, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Vicar of Rome, was commissioned by Pope John Paul II to open the Holy Door of St. John Lateran. This Sunday, it was once again the Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Reina, created a cardinal at a consistory earlier this month, who was commissioned to push open the single bronze wing of the right side door of the “mother and head of all the Churches of the City and of the world” - where the Pope's cathedra is located.
The brief opening ceremony, which preceded Sunday Mass, was attended by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Jubilee's main organizer, and Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome.
The “open arms” of the Holy Door
The Holy Door of St. John Lateran, which like the others remains walled up when it is not a Holy Year, was created by Italian sculptor Floriano Bodini for the Great Jubilee of 2000.
After two and a half years' work, the artist completed his monumental work in December 2000, just a few weeks before the door was officially closed. Measuring 3.6 meters high and 1.9 meters wide, it features a cross upon which Christ hangs. At his feet, the Virgin Mary embraces the Infant Jesus.
In his homily, Cardinal Reina commented on the day's Gospel, which was the parable of the “prodigal son.” He emphasized how the protagonist's attitude of leaving his father's house with his inheritance illustrates the “misunderstanding” of our time, which sees God as “the enemy of our freedom.”
In the Gospel, the father joyfully welcomes his son when he returns after having squandered everything:
“These open arms are the Holy Door,” explained the Sicilian cardinal. “Let us not hesitate to go through the door that leads to God's heart,” he added.
He urged everyone to open their door to those who are bitter about the Church or find themselves isolated, so that “every estranged heart may find its way back to the Father's house.”
Only two Holy Doors left to open
The Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Mary Major will be opened by Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, Archpriest Coadjutor of the Marian Basilica, on January 1.
The Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls will be opened on January 5 by its archpriest, American Cardinal James Harvey.
For pilgrims, passing through a Holy Door expresses the decision to follow and let themselves be guided by Jesus, but is also a sign of the communion that binds all believers to Christ. By passing through one of these gates during the Jubilee, the faithful can receive a “plenary indulgence.”
Originally, there was only one Holy Door, located in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. To enable more pilgrims to pass through a Holy Door, others were installed in the other major Roman basilicas.
