Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday formally closed the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, marking the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope, an ordinary Holy Year that called Catholics worldwide to conversion, reconciliation, and renewed trust in God’s mercy.
The pontiff processed toward the Holy Door as the antiphon ‘O clavis David’ was sung. Upon reaching the threshold, he knelt in silent prayer before rising to close the two large bronze doors at 9:41 a.m., a symbolic act signaling the end of the jubilee season.
“With thankful hearts we now prepare to close this Holy Door, crossed by a multitude of faithful,” Pope Leo XIV said, emphasizing that while the Jubilee has ended, “the door of God’s mercy remains ever open.”
Before the closing, the Holy Father recited in Latin the prescribed formula, following a rite first introduced in 1975 and later simplified by St. John Paul II during the Jubilee of the Year 2000. In line with this simplified practice, the public ceremony did not include the sealing of the door with bricks, which will instead take place privately about 10 days later.
The private rite, overseen by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, will involve the sampietrini — craftsmen of the Fabric of St. Peter—who will construct a brick wall inside the basilica to permanently seal the Holy Door. A traditional metal capsule will be placed within the wall containing the official act of closure, jubilee coins, and the keys of the Holy Door as a lasting testimony to the Holy Year.
In his prayer of thanksgiving, Pope Leo XIV declared, “This Holy Door is closed, but the door of your mercy is not closed,” invoking that the grace of the Jubilee may continue to bear fruit in the spiritual life of the Church.
The Jubilee of Hope was instituted on December 24, 2024, by Pope Francis and concluded by his successor following Francis’ death in April—a rare occurrence not seen since 1700. The previous ordinary Jubilee was celebrated in the year 2000.
Following the rite, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord inside St. Peter’s Basilica, bringing the day’s celebrations to a close.
