Pope Francis to Open Sacred Portals in Rome and Prison for the First Time in 25 Years
Pope Francis is preparing to open five “sacred portals” in Rome and a prison, a tradition that has not been carried out for 25 years. The doors, which are bricked up from the inside, will be taken down to symbolize the beginning of the Holy Year, a concept dating back to the Old Testament.
The portals will be opened in St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Rebibbia Prison, a first-time addition. The doors will remain open all year for pilgrims to pass through until the Jubilee finishes on January 6, 2026.
Pope Francis hopes the Jubilee will be a moment of personal encounter with Jesus Christ, the “door” of salvation. In October, he asked for prayers for the “martyred” people of Ukraine and cited “inhumane attacks” in Gaza, expressing his concern that the world is “losing its heart.”
The Vatican’s Nativity scene this year featured a baby Jesus lying on a manger lined with a Palestinian keffiyeh, a symbol of support for the state. The keffiyeh is also worn by Palestinians as a symbol of their identity and struggle.
The tradition of opening the sacred portals dates back to 1300, and the ritual has been carried out every 25 years since 1423. The doors have not been opened in 25 years, and Pope Francis is hoping that the event will bring people closer to God and inspire hope and forgiveness.
The doors in the basilicas will be opened by the Pope, who will then be the last person to walk back through before they are sealed up once again. In Rebibbia Prison, the main door of the prison will be used as a symbol for all prisons in the world.
