Pope Francis and the Holy Year of Mercy

Pope Francis has declared this year to be a Holy Year of Mercy, a special year for Catholics around the world. Part of the idea of a holy year is that the faithful make a pilgrimage where they fulfil a number of obligations.

These special years were traditionally known as Jubilee years and began in the 1300s when they were held every 50 years. Over time they became 25 year jubilees. In more recent  times they have become more regular, with the idea that all the faithful may get one opportunity in their lifetime.

One of the traditions involved is the opening of the Porta Sanctae or Sacred Door at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the walking through that door.
In 1983 we were in Rome when Pope John Paul II had declared a Jubilee Year and were able to walk through the recently opened door.

In the year 2000, the Millennium, John Paul II declared another Jubilee Year.

This year, an Extraordinary Year declared by Pope Francis, has allowed for Holy Doors to be at other cathedrals and even at Fiumicino Airport in Rome. In the Sandhurst Diocese in Australia there is a Holy Door at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo.

This afternoon we once again visited the Basilica San Pietro and walked through the Porta  Sanctae.

The crowds were enormous and we were grateful that we had previously visited in quieter times prior to crowd control barriers, x-ray machines, large fenced off areas and protective glass.

One good thing about the barricades was that as we knew what we were visiting for, we were able to enter the gate labeled Enter through the Holy Door and proceed quietly.