The Recognitio of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica takes place ahead of the Jubilee

With just 20 days until the solemn opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's by Pope Francis on December 24, a rite which will officially launch the Jubilee of Hope of 2025, the rite of the "Recognitio" of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s has been held, presided over by the Archpriest of the Basilica, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.

The Recognitio began with a prayer by Cardinal Gambetti, and then two "sanpietrini" (the staff of the basilica) drilled away the wall which seals the Holy Door from within the Basilica, extracting the metal box kept which has been kept inside since the end of the last extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, in 2016. The box contains objects and documents from the last Holy Year, including the key to the Holy Door, the doorhandles, the parchment of the deed of closing, bricks and commemorative medals minted during the previous Jubilee.

After the prayer, the Cardinal Archpriest, together with the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella who has been responsible for the organization of the Jubilee, and the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Diego Ravelli, led the procession of the Canons to the Papal Altar of the Confession. The prelates then gathered in the Chapter Hall of the Basilica to proceed with the opening of the box. The Recognitio is a little-known ceremony, but actually constitutes the first formal legal act of the Holy Year. It is essentially an inspection to ensure that everything is in order.

The next Holy Doors to be unwalled will be those of the Basilicas of St. John Lateran on December 3, St. Paul Outside the Walls on December 5, and St. Mary Major on December 6.