God at The Doorway:

A very large door on the far right of the main entrance to St. Peter's Basilica has been tightly sealed for almost a quarter of a century. just before midnight on Christmas Eve 1999, the Holy Father will stand before this massive opening which has been covered over with masonry. Tapping it three times with a silver hammer, chunks of plaster will begin falling, and workmen, with a system of pulleys, will allow the structure to fall to the floor.

The Pope will say a brief prayer, then lead the congregation through this opening called the Porta Sancta, or Holy Door. Once inside, The Holy Father will celebrate the Mass of Christmas, commemorating the arrival of Christ, God's Son into our human history. Since the year 1300, popes have been re-enacting this ritual of opening a special door. At times, it was only once a century sometimes twice a century or every 33 years, in honour of the Death-Resurrection of our Lord. The custom of opening the Holy Door has proven to be so popular that the Church now opens it every 25 years. Whenever it is opened, the Church simultaneously proclaims a Holy Year, or a Year of Jubilee.

Opening Ceremonies

Pope John Paul 11 will begin the great Jubilee of the year 2000 by opening the holy door in Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Christmas Eve. Archbishop Desmond Connell will inaugurate the Jubilee in Dublin at the 11.00 a.m. Mass in Saint Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough Street on Christmas Day.

Something to Think About

Does anyone check to see how much someone is hurting on the other side of a closed heart or mind? At Christmas 1999 the Holy Father will break down the wall that has kept the Holy Door shut. " Behold I stand at the door knocking. If one of you opens the door, I will come in to share your meal, side by side with you." (Rev 3:20).

Between now and then He is asking us to do the same. Perhaps now is the time when the doors of our country, our home, our hearts can be opened to those who have intentionally or unintentionally been kept locked out. In anticipation of Christmas and the dawning of a new era, others will be unlocking their doors. We should be opening some doors, along with some minds and hearts too.

Openness To Our Own Culture The Christmas candle in the window has a long tradition in our country. Before there were fairy lights and laser beams, the simple candle welcomed Jesus each year. Reviving this tradition as a sign of renewal and recommitment to Christ would be a very powerful symbol for our time. Safety considerations, however, must-always be taken into account. The zeal of an earlier generation in their desire to afford Christ a worthy welcome is captured in Oíche Nollag by Eoghan Ó Tuairisc.