BEGINNING OF HOLY YEAR

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25995, 24 December 1949, Page 7

BEGINNING OF HOLY YEAR

CEREMONY IN ROME TONIGHT POPE PRESENTED WITH HAMMER AND TROWEL VATICAN CITY, December 22. ! Italian workmen to-day presented ito the Pope an ivory and golden hamkt and trowel with which on Christmas Eve, he will knock open the Holy poor of St. Peter’s Basilica, The Pope's symbolic gesture will linitiate the jubilee Holy Year of the Homan Catholic Church. A delegation comprising a tram driver, a metal worker, a printer, a farm worker, a clerk, a bricklayer, a

finall farmer, and a salesgirl, presented the hammer and trowel to the Pope in his apartment in the Vatican. Thousands of Italian workers contributed l£d each to buy the hammer and trowel, which are of exquisite workmanship and plated in gold with handles of ivory, chased in silver and pit. They were presented in a silvermounted maplewood box. The Pope will use the implements to knock three times on one of the ®ors of St. Peter’s. After the third block, the heavy door will fall inwards on to metal castors to be (Wheeled into storage for a year. The Pope and his prelates will enter St. ■ Peter’s to the acclamations of a conjugation of 50.000. I The Pope will celebrate Christmas i£ v e midnight Mass St. Peter’s Basilica for Holy Year pilgrims. About 10.000 members of officially registered Pilgrimages will be present for the opening of the Holy Door.