Washington sentinel., 1901-01-19
Closinrrhe Holy Door.


As all Catholic and many Prot
esiauts are aware. the closing year
of the century 5- q Jubilee year DO
the Eo-4u Catholic Church.
Nam ceremonies have ta ken place
20 mark the period, but of these
none have been or are more i'm
posing than the opening and
closing Of lbe Holy Door at ST.
Peters Cathedral The opening
ceremony was witnessed a year
ago and the closing took place on
Christmas Eve. Owing 90 the DEL
icate state of the present Pope's
health, the building Ia which the
opening and closing ceremonies
took place had been heated TO the
temperature OF Leo NIL g private
apartments TO avoid any possibility
of his Holiness taEing a chill.
The ceremony e opening the
Holy Door is declared TO be sym
bolic Of the fac. that The Church is
open to all men so long IS they 90
there after a thorouGh and sincere
conversion. When the Pope opens
the door the three knocks which
he gives TO II represent the three
Continents Europe, Africa, and
Asia-sO which the Pope offers the
treasures which he is the medium
ior dispensing. The three strokes
also are looked upon as symbol
izing the 10y that the jubilee
causes to the faithful OF Heaven,
Earth, and Purgatory. The Pope
who is seated on q raised throne in
front Of the large door in the mid
die OF the grand poruco, remains
stationary Tor a briet while, until
the Prince Of the Throne presents
a golden hammer to his Holiness,
which the latter takes in his right
hand, and, rising from his throne,
goes and knocksat the Holy Door.
His clergy follow him each with a
candle in hIs hand. His Holiness,
alter knocking three times at the
door, says In Latin: "Opeu to me
these doors Of justice!' Then the
choir adds "This is the door OF the
Eternal One, and the Just will enter
in, 3" &c. After this the Master
Masons knock down the wall
which enCloses the Holy Door, the
wall being so lightly put together,
however, that its four sides are
held together but slightly, the
stones OF which it is composed not
being Cemented, Thus. no sooner
has the Pope knocked at the Holy
Door than it falls without any re
sistance. The debris Of the
wall are distributed among the
worshippers, who hasten 10 gather
them in order to put them among
their most precious relics.
While this is taking place, the
Pope reseats himself on the throne;
but after the demolition is com
pleted the peuitentiaries Of St.
Peter take their bro0ms, clean the
floor, remove the pieces of brick
and mortar from the passage
which are not looked upon as ma
terial 20 be held in Light esteem,
since relics are made Ct them-aad
wash the mOuLdings and all round
the door with holy water. This
work being finished, his Holiness
once more desceads from his
throne, singing he anthem which
opens with the words: "HH- dies
guam iecit Dominus,' &c, which
the choir continue 60 sing after
him. Arriving &c the Holy Door,
the Pope r=cItes some prayers,
takes the cross, kneels before the
door, intones the TIE Dcum, and,
rising again while singing, passes
through the Holy Door, his clergy
following him. Everybody who
can goes into St. Peters to witness
the superb ceremony or 90 take
part IN the vespers at the Papal
Chapel After the Vespers the
Cardinals take off their robes and
put on their red caPes, accompany
the Pope TO the door of his private
apartments, and then retire.
Alter the morning mass on
Christmas Day his Holiness goes
to the lodge OF the Benediction,
where he blesses the faithful in the
form which is only used on the oc-
casICn oithe Jubilee. The closing
OF the door is a very similar cere-
moaY 70 she opening. The great
est solemnity IS observed, and
thousands of privileged pilgrims
flock 10 the Cathedral TO be wit
nesses Of what eXC-p. in rare in
stances occur, but once in a lie
time. His Holiness lays the hrst
brick for the closing Of the door,
all the Cardinals, Monsignors, and
other dignitafics In Rome being
witnesses Of The operation. The
bricks used Tor this purpose are
about double The ordinary size, be.
ing covered with a thin layer Of
plate IN sO~e cases Of silver and
IN others OfgoId. They bear in re-
lief the Papal arms and the inscrip.
tion: Leo Kill Pont. Max. Ape
ruiz C. clauslt."
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