The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-17
"BREAKING DOWN THE DOOR,"
THE POPE WILL BEGIN YEAR OF
JUBILEE AT CHRISTMAS
VESPERS.

Picturesque CeremOny-IntrOduc
ed by Boniface VIII and INDUCED
Throughout the World wherever
Jesuit Churches Exist, in Com
memOratiOn of the Years During
which Jesus Christ Lived on the
WOrId-The High POtentates OIL
ciate.
New York. Dec. 15.-The ushering in of
the twentieth century is of more import
ance to the Catholic world from it's sacred
aspect than any political or diplomatic
crisis which might occur In the secular
world. One of the most solemn ceremonies
in the history of the church will be cele-
brated, in all of the great Catholic divs-
ions of the world beginning at noon on the
24th day of December, which is the begin
ming of the New Year of Apostolic history.
Pope Boniface VIII instituted the Gus
tom of breaking down the door of the Ba-
silica of st. Peters in Rome, and after
wards directed that the custom should be
observed at the beginning of each century
in perpetuity. Since that time it has been
observed only by the Jesuit fathers; but
the Jesuit church of which the Holy Fa-
Their is the head, has preserved this cere-
mony and it is now carried out to the
utmost detail in all of the Jesuit churches
of the world.
The holy year begins with the first YES
pers of the feast of Christmas, which is
fixed at the meridian of the day preced-
ing Christmas, or what we commonly call
christmas eve" and every Jesuit church
in the world at that hour has its holy door
sealed. The workmen are present and are
prepared to receive the cardinals, pre-
lates and priests who approach, awaiting
the three strokes of the silver mace, in
order that the procession may pass
through. His holiness approaches The door
SEXES a silver mace, raises ii over his
head, strikes The door three times and i'm
mediately from the other side it is demol-
ished.
II is not taken from It's hinges; the lock
is not broken; he door is broken down;
there is an aperture made and if this aper-
ture is large enough to permit his hoi-
ness to pass through, he turns and salutes
his consorts, who fan upon their knees;
then he leads the way through the en-
brasure into the Cathedral's interior.
Immediately after the procession has
gone beyond the door, or rather passed
! through the aperture which has been made
by violence the Pope returns and W tn
a silver trowel casts some lime upon the
floor and then selecting three stones
which have been placed ready at his hand
puts them in position, bdesses the door,
the troWel, the lime and the stones, reas-
sumes the head of the procession and
passes on. Immediately the door is re-
sealed to await the coming of another
Year of Jubilee" which is intended TO
occur each twenty-five years, only
The Pope now proceeds to the altar,
where as the most devout penitent he gets
upon his knees. In the meantime the dean
of the College of Cardinals, followed by
a retinue of prelates, passes on through
st. Peters, and approaches the holy Door
of the Basilica of st. PauFs, and there,
representing the Pope, performs the same
ceremony After these two ceremonies
are performed the cardinals and priests
retire to their respective basilicas and
there perform the same ceremony in pri-
vate; that is, they demolish and pass
through the holy door of their own, to
their particular apartments. Afterward
for a whole year, these doors are sealed
and impossible to ali pilgrims and all pen
itents. IL is only a the feast of the ma
4 tivity' when a penitent may pass through
and then only with the blessing and upon
their knees.
Accompanying the Holy Father and i'm
mediately behind him is the high peni-
Tertiary who directs whatever shall be
done, who stands between the Pope and
the throng of people who are present to
witness the ceremony.
| 1t is particularly interesting to know
that the churches of the Jesuit Fathers
throughout the United States have pre-
served this custom with rigid directness
but also that it has been made an an
nual observance. "The year of iuhilee -
which occurs every twenty-five years. at
the meridian of the oath day of Deem
Der, is with them an epoch. on such oc-
/ casions programme is prepared, arrange
ments are made and the penitents of the
church are hidden to be present at the
! ceremony; and IL Is a most solemn occa-
sion. A procession is formed which is
/ presided over by the Archbishop who has
already delegated one of the fathers to
represent the Pope. Behind him are che
priests and lesser dignitaries of the church
and following them is the mulutuda az
penitents. In the utmost silence and vit6
bowed heads they await the demolition of
door. ~
The ceremony of breaking down the door
is peculiarly attractive and extremely MIC
turesque. Al the Church of st. Francis
Xavier IN sixteenth street New York. th,,
ceremony Is performed with the Same Az
actitude with which Il Is oonluc' "a -
So. Peters in the presence Of The nonttg-
cate. one OF the fathers Is delegated 10
represent the Pope, and with a silver mace
III hdhd nc approaches the door ana
strikes upon b. three solid blows TN
arehDishop and the priests. the prelates
anu the accompanying throng kneei ana
Win bowed heads await what Is 10 come