Evening star., 1949-12-25
IS U. 5. Pi|grimages
To Take $1,000 10
Rome for Holy Year
By the Associated Press

NEW YORK, Dec. 24.-By the
tens of thousands the faithful are
flocking to Rome for the holy
year.
Roman Catholic circles expect
nearly 100000 foreign pilgrims in
the IL months beginning tonight
at least $4,000 of them from the
United States.
In proclaiming the holy year of
jubilee. 25th in the history of the
Catholic Church. Pope Plus XII
warned the pilgrims against 60
ing to Rome after the fashion of
pleasure-Seeking tourists.
But to those who go, and live up
to the rules, the Pope has prom
ised plenary indulgence, full par
don of all the punishments due
for past sins.
The Catholic Travel League says
there will be at least IS organized
American pilgrimages.
Four Prelates Plan Trip.
American prelates heading them
include Francis Cardinal Spell
man, Archbishop of New York;
John Joseph NIFTY, Archbishop of
San Francisco; Joseph Francis
Rummel, Archbishop of New Or
leans; and Francis P. Keough,
Archbishop of Baltimore.
The league says more American
holy year visitors will 60 to the
Eternal City than ever before.
The movement is basically spir-
itual, but some observers see in
it an emphasis on the church's
concern over attacks upon re-
1igion in Communist-do dominated
countries.
Three of the organized Ameri-
can pilgrimages were in Rome in
time for tonight's ceremony of
the opening and closing of the
holy doors at four major basilicas
--ushering in the holy year.
The holy doors are merely Sec
tions in the walls of Rome's four
main churches, removed at the
beginning of the jubilee year and
rebuilt at the end.
The Pope himself presided at
the opening at st. Peters, the
25th opening since the holy year
procedure was started by Pope
Boniface VIII in 1900. At the
end of the year the pontiff will
close the door in person. 1t will
remain walled up until the next
jubilee.
Cardinals Will Preside.
Three Cardinals will preside at
identical rites opening holy doors
at three other basilicas-St. John
Lateran, st. Paul's Outside the
Walls and st. Mary's Major.
The opening of the doors is
symbolic of the pardoning power
the church believes it retains as
heiress of some of Christ's power.
Normally the holy year occurs
every quarter century. Originally
it took place every half century.
But the pope can proclaim one
any time he sees fit.
Pope Plus XII proclaimed holy
year in 1929 to observe the 5Oth
year of his ordination and again
in 1888 to mark the 18th century
OF the death, passion and resur-
rection of the Redeemer.
During the 1850 jubilee more
than Is international conferences
will be held in Rome. The third
International Congress of Cath
olic Journalists, promoted by the
International Union of the Cath
olic Press, meets February 1913.
Adherents to the Hospitality of
Our Lady of Lourdes convene
March 2-8.
Agencies Cooperate.
The Vatican Central Committee
for the holy year and the Italian
Governments Inter Ministerial
Committee for the holy year have
combined efforts to meet the in
dux of pilgrims.
Between the two agencies, much
has been done. Curbs have been
placed on profiteering, escorts
have been trained to guide the pill
grims, and the Italian Govern
ment has announced that all in
possession of the pilgrim card"
can enter Italy without a visa.
The card, given the pilgrim by
the National Holy Year Commit
tee in the country of origin, is
valid for a 90-day stay in Italy.
Italian railways have announced
- no,a& nnltiaHie,n 10