INAUGURATION OF HOLY YEAR

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25996, 27 December 1949, Page 5

INAUGURATION OF HOLY YEAR

Pope Opens Door Of St. Peter’s MANY THOUSANDS ATTEND (N.Z. Press Association—copyright) (Bee. 7.30 p.m.) ROME. Dec. 24. Fifty thousand Roman Catholics today tilled St. Peter's Basilica and spilled in thousands on the portico outside to see Pope Pius inaugurate the twenty-fifth Holy Year by opening the Holy Door of the basilica. Another 120,000 knelt and prayed in St. Peter’s square. The Pope, robed in white and wearing a diamond-studded crown, opened door in brilliant sunshine by tapping with a gold and ivory hammer. He entered the basilica as the first of 3,000,000 pilgrims expected during the Holy Year. Great bells pealed the tidings that the door was opened, and they were greeted by a .mighty roar of cheering. The ceremony took place with police riot cars, armoured trucks, and 600 heavily-armed mobile police standing by ready to crush a threatened Communist demonstration. The police had banned a rally by land-hungry peasants which was scheduled to be staged simultaneously with the ceremony at the basilica. The opening of the door symbolised the breaKing down of a barrier to open the way to Divine grace for all Roman Catholics. As the bells of St. Peter’s boomed over Rome the bells of other churches and chapels of the city joined in. Five hundred doves, symbolical of the Holy Ghost, were released over the basilica. They wheeled round the square over the heads of the crowd.

The Pope stood motionless for nearly a minute before the door. At exactly 9.39 a.m. he raised the 41b hammer and struck the first blow against the cross embedded in the face of the door. He gave a second rap a few seconds later. Again the Pope knocked, chanting: “I will enter, O Lord, into Thy house.” The choir responded: “I will adore Thy holy temple in reverence before Thee.” and a great block of masonry slowly fell inward and was rolled away. The Holy Door was sealed 15 years ago at the end of the extraordinary Holy Year proclaimed in honour of the nineteenth century of redemption. After opening the door the Pope prayed at his throne as high church dignitaries knelt to wash the doorstep anil its jambs with sponges soaked in holy water. » . Inside the bas’lica a mighty roar of welcome greeted the Pope as he stepoed into the cathedral. Then, seated in the gestatorial chair, he was carried up the nave, slowly leaning out to bless the praying, weening thousands who nressed forward to touch bis chair and garments. Finally, from the dais the Pope gave the Papal benediction.