Originally published at National Catholic Register
Once the wall protecting the Holy Door was demolished, the workers removed a metal box that had been kept inside it since the closing of the Jubilee of Mercy on Nov. 20, 2016.The box contains the key with which the Holy Father will open the Holy Door on the evening of Dec. 24.
On the evening Dec. 2, the rite of recognitio (Latin for “verification”) took place in St. Peter’s Basilica. This is a traditional ceremony to verify and ascertain that the Holy Door, closed during the last holy year, is intact, sealed and ready to be reopened at the beginning of Jubilee 2025.
The pilgrimage to the Holy Doors is a central act of the jubilee. Passing through them during the holy year symbolizes entry into a new life in Christ and the beginning of a journey of conversion.
The ceremony began with a prayer led by the archpriest of the basilica, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti. Then the sampietrini, employees of the Fabric of St. Peter’s who are responsible for the oversight and maintenance of the Vatican basilica, tore down the wall that seals the Holy Door inside the church.
Once the wall protecting the Holy Door was demolished,
