VATICAN CORNER
Continued… According to “Mondo Va cano,” a mini-encyclopedia published by the Va can, the origin of the Holy Door may trace back to the ancient Chris an prac ce of public penitence. Sinners were given public penances to be performed before receiving absolu on. The sinners were not allowed to enter a church before comple ng the penance; however they were solemnly welcomed back in when their penance was fulfilled. Similarly, in this Holy Year of Mercy, pilgrims enter through the Holy Door as a sign of their repentance and re-commitment to a life of faith. The ritual of opening the Holy Doors at St. Peter’s Basilica goes back to 1499 when Pope Alexander VI opened the door on Christmas Eve to inaugurate the Holy Year 1500. For centuries the door was opened with a silver hammer, not a key. The Va can’s mini-encyclopedia explains that the silver hammer was used to symbolically show that “the door of jus ce and mercy gives way only to the force of prayer and penance.” In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II opened the door with one strong push instead of the silver hammer. Pope Francis on December 8, 2015 had to pushes a couple of mes to get the door open. He then walked slowly through into St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a frail-looking ex-pope Benedict XVI and a procession of cardinals, bishops, priests, men and women religious, and laity. The bronze panels made by Vico Consor that are a#ached to the door were added in 1949. Between the panels are li#le shields with the coats of arms of all the popes that opened it during an ordinary Holy Year, with the last being St. John Paul II. Pope Francis’ coat of arms will be etched onto one of the empty shields a$er the door is once again closed.
What happens when Catholics walk through the Holy Door? Walking through the Holy Door means that you receive an indulgence, which is a lessening of the consequences a#ached to sin. When you sin, you must go to confession and you are forgiven. But forgiveness only applies to the guilt of your sin; there may s ll be consequences of your sin that you may have to pay for in this life or a$er you die. An indulgence is a way to lessen that penalty. As an analogy, if someone commits a crime, he is sentenced to jail me as punishment. He may be sorry for his crime and apologize, but he s ll must serve his sentence and deal with the consequences of his crime. To receive a full indulgence (called a plenary indulgence), you must:
- Walk through the Holy Door.
- Go to confession.
- Receive communion. and
- Pray for the inten ons of the pope To be con nued …
Sources: CNN.com, telegraph.co.uk, d Catholicnewsagency.com, yahoo.com, cnsblog.wordpress.com, religionnews.com