(lmudena Martínez-Bordiú/CNA) — 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 the new 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.
Holy Door of St. Peter’s on the Tribune Tower in Chicago (cropped from original). Credit: DiscoverWithDima, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
