Pope Francis opened the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica, with a ritual that has been part of the Catholic Church since the 1500s. Holy Doors are only opened during a special year designated by a pope called a Jubilee Year.
This iteration will be a Jubilee of Mercy. The last Jubilee Year was in 2000. More than 50,000 people attended the ceremony, including Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and members of the Belgian royal family.
Francis’ predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, followed him through the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica. The 88-year-old, rarely seen in public since his resignation in 2013, walked with a cane and the help of longtime aide.
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