Holy Door

Symbolically, the Holy Door carries enormous weight for it represents the most important symbol of the Jubilee, and the major purpose of pilgrims is to walk through it. Opening of the door by the Pope is the authentic beginning of the Holy Year. Once there was only one door that stood at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, that being the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. It was only later that other Roman Basilicas also opened their holy doors to provide more pilgrims with a chance to participate in the Jubilee experience.

When a pilgrim walks through the Holy Door, the verse from chapter 10 of St. John’s gospel lingers in the mind: “I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and he will go in and out and find pasture.” Passing through the Holy Door means that one commits oneself to follow and let oneself be led by Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The door through which one enters the church brings one to the heart of the church. A church, as a sacred place for Christians, is something much more than a holy place demanding respect, decency, and proper dress; it is a symbol of unity or communion for all believers with Christ and for each other. It is a place for meeting and dialogue, for reconciliation and peace open to the pilgrim. Church, as such, is the assembly of the faithful.

In Rome, this experience is particularly significant because of the unique relationships between the Eternal City and Saints Peter and Paul, the apostles who founded the Christian community in Rome. Their teachings and examples are models for the global Church. The tombs of Saints Peter and Paul are to be found in Rome, where they were martyred; along the catacombs, these holy sites continue to inspire spirituality.