Pope Francis opens holy gate: jubilee 2025 begins!

Pope Francis opens holy gate: jubilee 2025 begins!

On Christmas Eve 2024, Pope Francis opened the holy gate of St. Peter's Basilica in a moving ceremony, which marked the official beginning of the Holy Year of the Catholic Church. The ceremony, which was characterized by the health restrictions of the 88-year-old Pope, showed Francis how he knocked on the massive bronze door in a wheelchair. Helpers opened the door from the inside after the Pope stayed in silent prayer for a moment. He was then driven via the threshold into St. Peter's Basilica, which is an important event for many believers. This solemn act is part of the traditions that are connected to the Holy Year, which takes place every 25 years, also called jubilee year, as Radio euskirchen reported.

tradition and meaning of the jubilee year

The Holy Year, which will now continue until January 6, 2026, offers believers the opportunity to gain an indulgence of their sins through prayer and penance. The practices associated with this time include the pilgrimage to Rome and the crossing of the holy gates, which are of great spiritual importance for the Catholic Church. The Pope is dependent on a wheelchair due to a severe knee passion, which accompanies the ceremony with a special focus on its determination and deep faith of the head of the church. Such symbolic rituals reinforce the connection between the faith community and the church, such as noted.