A Guide to
​St Peter's Basilica

---

The Porta Santa
​(Holy Door)

---

The Porta Santa (Holy Door)

---

The Porta Santa (Holy Door), the work of the Sienese sculptor Vico Consorti (1902-97), was installed in 1949. The door was donated as an ex-voto by Francesco Von Streng, the Bishop of Lugano and Basel in Switzerland, as an expression of gratitude to God that his country was saved from the horrors of war. 

The Porta Santa is only open during a Jubilee, or Holy Year, which normally takes place every twenty-five years. For the rest of the time the door remains closed and walled up on the inside.

Porta Santa Walled up on the Inside

The Holy Door represents Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and the sheep pen: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." (John 10:9, KJV).

The Sixteen Panels

The sixteen bronze panels are divided into groups of four by the coats of arms of popes who have celebrated Jubilee years.

All of the panels (bar one) depict scenes from the New Testament. The narrative begins in the top left corner with the angel expelling Adam and Eve from Paradise and ends in the bottom right corner with Pope Pius XII (r. 1939-58) opening the Holy Door on Christmas Eve 1949 to mark the beginning of the Jubilee of 1950. ​

1. Angel at the Gate of Paradise

2. Expulsion of Adam & Eve From Paradise

QVOD · HEVA TRISTIS ABSTVLIT
(What sad Eve took away)

3. Virgin Annunciate

TV · REDDIS · ALMO · GERMINE
(Your sacred womb to man restores)

4. Archangel Gabriel

5. The Baptism of Christ

TV VENIS AD ME?
(Do you come to me?)

6. The Lost Sheep

SALVARE · QVOD PERIERAT
(To save what had been lost)

7. The Merciful Father

PATER PECCAVI · IN COELVM ET · CORAM TE
(Father I have sinned against heaven and also you)

8. The Cure of a Paralytic

TOLLE · GRABATVM · TVVM · ET · AMBVLA...
(Take up your mat and walk)

9. The Penitent Woman Washes the Feet of Jesus

REMITTVNTVR · EI · PECCATA · MULTA
(Her many sins are forgiven her)

10. The Need for Forgiveness

SEPTVAGIES · SEPTIES
(Seventy times seven)

11. The Denial of Peter

CONVERSVS DOMINVS RESPEXIT PETRVM
(The Lord turned and looked at Peter)

12. The Crucifixion

HODIE MECVM ERIS · IN PARADISO
(Today, you will be with me in Paradise)

13. Christ's Appearance to Thomas

BEATI QVI CREDIDERVNT
(Blessed are they that believe)

14. The Appearance of Christ to His Disciples

ACCIPITE SPIRITVM SANCTVM
(Receive the Holy Spirit)

15. The Conversion of Saul

SVM · JESVS · QVEM TV PERSEQVERIS
(I am Jesus whom you persecute)

Pope Pius XII Opens the Porta Santa

STO  ·AD · OSTIVM · ET · PVLSO
(I stand at the door and knock)

---