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Opening of the Holy Door in Santiago Cathedral

When it is a Holy Year (when Saint James' Day falls on a Sunday) the Holy Door in Santiago's Cathedral is opened according to an ancient ritual on the 31st of December in the preceding year.


The Master of ceremonies knocks three times on the bricks covering the door using a silver hammer - after the first blow he says, 'Open the doors of this house in which resides the Just'
The Key and hammer (image from http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2010/01/opening-of-holy-year-in-santiago-de.html#.Vxiolmf2aUk)




Opening the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in 2010
The Holy Door being opened in 2010 (image from https://www.ultreyatours.com/blog/the-year-of-mercy-in-santiago-de-compostela/).

After the second blow the Master of Ceremonies says, 'I will enter into your house Lord'

After the third blow he says, 'Open the doors, let the Lord be with us.' After this the wall is knocked down and all who are present try to get a piece of it as a good luck charm.

The Archbishop opening the Holy Door in Santiago de Compostela in 2010
The wall being knocked down (image from https://www.ultreyatours.com/blog/the-year-of-mercy-in-santiago-de-compostela/).

 The archbishop then opens the door and prays in silence before it


(image from http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2010/01/opening-of-holy-year-in-santiago-de.html#.Vxiolmf2aUk)

 This is followed by the deacons washing the newly opened Holy Door

(image from http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2010/01/opening-of-holy-year-in-santiago-de.html#.Vxiolmf2aUk)



Then the procession passes through the Holy Door before Mass is taken

The Archbishop enters first with the archiepiscopal cross. relics of the Apostle may also be included in the procession (image from http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2010/01/opening-of-holy-year-in-santiago-de.html#.Vxiolmf2aUk)

Acto de apertura da Porta Santa no xacobeo 2010 / Xoán A. Soler

The open Door (image taken from http://caminodesantiago.lavozdegalicia.com/en/what-is-the-ano-xacobeo-the-holy-year/  Acto de apertura da Porta Santa no xacobeo 2010 / Xoán A. Soler)


A short video of this Ceremony can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To_kL7AxgdY

 An article on the Holy Door's opening for 2016 can be read at http://spanishnewstoday.com/santiago-de-compostela-door-to-extraordinary-jubilee-year-of-mercy_47790-a.html

 The occurrence of Holy Years comes in a pattern of 6-5-6-11 years (this pattern comes from the occurrence of leap years and the fact that there are seven days in the week, without leap years there would be a Holy Year every seven years and there was a modification in 1582 when the Gregorian Reform occurred) so that the most recent Holy Years were 1993, 1999, 2004 and 2010 so that the next one will be in 2021, 2027 and 2032.

The first Holy Year was granted by Pope Calixtus II in 1126. This all means that there are 14 Holy Years in every century.

In 1937 the door remained open for a second year following a Holy Year in the hope that it would bring an end to the Spanish Civil War.

According to the Catholic Church Catholics can obtain the bula jubilaror jubileo (jubilee indulgence which is a plenary indulgence to forgive the punishment that sins deserve) if the below are fulfilled:



1. After walking at least 100km visit the Cathedral in Santiago
2. Pray at the Cathedral and attend the mass
3. Receive the Sacraments of Penance (can be up to 15 days before or after) and Communion

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