How did the Holy Door originate and why does it exist in the Catholic Church?

The Jubilee Year and the Holy Doors are traditions deeply rooted in the history of the Catholic Church. But where do the Holy Doors come from and what meaning do they have for the faithful?

Father Edward McNamara LC, expert in liturgy and professor of Theology at the Pontifical Ateneo Regina Apostolorum, explained its origin and purpose in a recent interview with EWTN News.

A historical and spiritual origin

The concept of the Holy Door has its roots in the 15th century, in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. According to Father McNamara, it could have its origin in a door in the basilica itself, where criminals could find political asylum, protecting themselves from the police or judges. “So much so that the Pope, at one time, to prevent abuse, began to wall it and cover it,” explains Father McNamara, suggesting that, over time, the door began to take on a much more spiritual symbolism.

However, that spiritual meaning was consolidated in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio in L’Aquila, a Catholic basilica built in 1288 by the will of Pope Celestine V, where the tradition of opening a special door at certain times began. “From there, in the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII was inspired to also establish the idea of ​​the Holy Door for a Jubilee,” explained the priest.

Since then, crossing the Holy Door has been associated with a “purely spiritual” Jubilee, in which the faithful, by meeting certain conditions, can free themselves from the weight of sin and begin a renewed life of closeness to God.

More than a symbolic act

Although crossing the Holy Door is an external manifestation, its true meaning lies in the inner disposition of the believer. Father McNamara stressed that “passing through the Holy Door is only an external manifestation of something that is happening inside.”

When crossing this Door, the pilgrim remembers what is stated in chapter 10 of the Gospel of Saint John: “I am the door: whoever enters through me will be saved and will be able to enter and leave, and will find pasture.” For this reason, Pope Francis has recalled that the pilgrimage to the Holy Door “is an invitation to fulfill a passage, an Easter of renewal, to enter that new life that the encounter with Christ offers us.”

Plenary indulgence and detachment from sin

The grace of the Jubilee includes plenary indulgence, which represents the remission of the temporal penalty associated with sin. However, Father McNamara highlighted that this process also requires an interior commitment: “The Church asks that there be no attachment to sin. “Human weakness is one thing… and being attached to a type of sin, even if it is a venial sin, is another.”

This detachment implies a sincere renunciation of sin, even if the person is aware of its fragility. “You know that you may fall again, but you don’t want to sin again in that area,” the priest explained, emphasizing that it is about “being free from attachment.”

In the words of the liturgist, “the first thing that is needed” to gain an indulgence “is to make a good confession of all the sins since the last Confession.” In addition, it is essential to receive Holy Communion, participate in the Holy Mass and pray for the Holy Father’s intentions, which can include “a creed, some Hail Marys, an Our Father, a decade of the Rosary, something very simple,” he said. .

Ultimately, the Holy Door symbolizes openness to Christ and the possibility of deep conversion. As Father McNamara recalled, “what indulgence does is cleanse us, make us healthy again, so we can start from scratch our fight to follow Christ and our battle to live.”