Almost a week after the opening of the Holy Door in Saint Peter's Basilica, those of the Rebibbia prison and the Saint John Lateran Cathedral, the fourth Holy Door was opened on Wednesday January 1 in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the oldest Roman church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Vatican News
Alongside the icon of the The health of the Roman peoplerepresenting the Virgin Mary, protector of the Roman people, a Holy Door is now open. In accordance with the bull of indiction of the Jubilee, the rite of opening of the Holy Door and the mass were presided over on this 1is January 2025, 58e World Day of Peace, by Cardinal Archpriest Coadjutor Rolandas Makrickas.
The Lithuanian cardinal proposed a homily built on five pillars: the voice of the Mother of God who calls us, time, the Salus populi romani icon, the sacred manger and the grace of the Jubilee.
The “Lost One”
The first steps of the pilgrims of the Jubilee Year were accompanied this Wednesday evening by the sound of the ancient bell of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, known as “the Lost», «the lost bell. A bell sound which marks not only the hours and times of prayer, declared Mgr Makrickas at the start of his homily, but also “transforms into sound the traditional image attributed to Mary, that of a guide and a sign, the Stella Maris, who lights the way in the darkness of the night.” Furthermore, he added, the words of the Apostle Paul “When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman.” (Ga 4:4), enlighten and guide everyone’s thinking.
Time, a great creature of God
Bishop Makrickas, mirroring Pope Francis during the Mass of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, earlier in the day, also analyzed these words of the Apostle Paul: “The expression “fullness of time” is striking. (…) Time acquires its fullness when it unites with eternity, that is to say with the infinite time of God.»
So, if today technology wants to influence time, to increase it or perfect it, “one can never feel disoriented, lost or tired of time spent with God.”
Mgr Antonios Aziz Mina, Coptic Catholic from Egypt and Mgr Irynej Bilyk, Ukrainian Greek Catholic, concelebrated the mass which followed the opening of the Holy Door.
L'icone Salus of the Roman people
At the feet of the icon very dear to Pope Francis and the Roman people, the archpriest of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, returned to the hands of Mary, “they caress our life”and any pilgrim who passes through the Holy Door of this papal basilica, who prays in front of the Salus populi romani and in front of the sacred manger of Jesus, will leave with the sensation “than the Heavenly Mother and with him”.
-Opening Mass of the Holy Door in the Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Majeure.
The sacred manger, silent witness to the birth of Jesus
Since 1606, a relic in the sacred manger has been on display in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, also called Bethlehem of the West.
“From this silent testimony of the birth of the Son of God, humanity began to count the years of the Christian era. Let’s think about it, our time is defined precisely from this manger!”
Thus, this ancient Marian sanctuary located in the center of Rome is at the heart of a crossroads of star-shaped roads reminiscent of that of Bethlehem.
The Grace of Jubilee
Finally, concluding his homily, Cardinal Makrickas asked for grace for “may this Jubilee Year touch us and push us to walk towards the Lord with authentic and sincere concern for our loved ones, for the poor, for the sick, for those who have lost the path to truth, joy and peace.»
All the pilgrims, “without distinction, are called to this same hope”.
The next and last Holy Door to be opened will be that of Saint-Paul-Hors-Les-Murs, on January 5.
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