In the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Catholic Church in the Holy Land will open the Holy Doors in four churches.
The Jubilee Year of Mercy will begin on December 8, with the opening of the Holy Door in the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
In addition to the opening of the Holy Doors in Rome, Pope Francis has granted to bishops around the world the ability to designate in their diocese, a Church or a Shrine, in which the Door of Mercy will be open, to ensure that all the faithful participate in this event,
Here in the Holy Land, the following churches will open the Doors of Mercy: the Basilica of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem, the Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth and in the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte, in Anjara, Jordan.
H.B. Mons. FOUAD TWAL
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
“The door is a symbol. When someone enters, they pass through a door, they come from a place and enter another. It is a symbol: we leave a state of sin, a state of weakness, to come into a new situation, a new state of life. For me, this is a symbol of ‘return to the Lord’: a symbol of conversion ”
To live and obtain the indulgence, the faithful are called to make a short pilgrimage to the Holy Door, to turn to the sacrament of confession, to participate in the Eucharistic celebration and reflect on mercy, to profess the faith, praying for the pope and for his intentions for the Church and the world.
Pastor : CHRISTIAN HOLIMANN
Germany
“I think that, in a world filled with so much hate, wars, terrorist attacks, violence and uncertainty, we need to realize how mercy touches us and what mercy really means to us, to our relationships, our families and our society. I believe, therefore, that this Year of Mercy is of great importance to all Christians in the world “.
Those who cannot go where there is a Holy Door, like the elderly, the sick and prisoners, will receive the Jubilee indulgence by experiencing suffering with faith and hope, by receiving communion or participating in the celebration of the Holy Mass, even through the media.
TERRY CASTRO PEREZ
Pilgrim – Philippines
“I hope to get closer to God and to bring people closer to God, with small sacrifices and more prayer, and also making pilgrimages to the Holy Land.”
In the letter in which he highlighted the important points for the Holy Year, Pope Francis has defined Mercy as the path that unites God and humanity, because mercy ‘opens our hearts to the hope of being loved forever, despite the taint of our sin.’
H.B. Mons. FOUAD TWAL
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
“The best door to use during this year of Mercy is the confessional door. Let us return to the Lord, admit our weaknesses, our limitations and our human misery, asking the Lord for forgiveness and mercy. These are my best wishes for the faithful: that they enter this beautiful door, which brings them hope in these difficult times.
More than ever, we need to return to the Lord.”
By crossing the Door of Mercy, as the Pope said, every believer will be able to experience the love of God, which comforts, forgives and gives hope.