Dec. 14--Archbishop Blase Cupich opened the holy doors Sunday at Holy Name Cathedral at a Mass commemorating the beginning of a jubilee year called the Holy Year of Mercy in celebration with Catholic churches across the world.
After Cupich blessed the Cathedral's north doors in a special ceremony in June, they have remained closed in the nearly six months since. On Sunday, several hundred parishioners filled the River North cathedral's pews as Cupich, priests and the faithful led a procession from the cathedral's altar to the ornate wooden double doors, which were framed in a garland and topped with the Vatican's year of mercy sign, a picture of Jesus Christ with stigmata carrying a man over his shoulders.
As Cupich approached the doors, he called out "Open the gates of justice, we shall enter and give thanks to the Lord." Cupich pushed the doors open, and despite the rain, briefly held them open with arms stretched, as a sign of welcome and the universal need for mercy.
Cupich's opening of the Archdiocese of Chicago's Holy Door follows Pope Francis, who earlier Sunday pushed open the Holy Door in St Peter's Basilica, marking the beginning of the Holy Year of Mercy.
A jubilee year is a special year called by the church to receive blessings and pardon from God. Popes have designated jubilee years every 25 or 50 years since the early 14th century. Pope John Paul II called the most recent jubilee year in 2000. The Holy Year of Mercy will last until Nov. 20.
tbriscoe@tribpub.com
