A Guide to
​St Peter's Basilica

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The Porta Santa
​(Holy Door)

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The Porta Santa (Holy Door)

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The Porta Santa (Holy Door), the work of the Sienese sculptor Vico Consorti (1902-97), was installed in 1949. The door was commissioned by Father Ludwig Kaas, who presided over the administration office of St Peter's Basilica, and funded by the diocese of Basel, at the suggestion of Bishop Franz Von Streng of Basel and Lugano, as an expression of gratitude to God that his country was saved from the horrors of war.

Inscription

The Latin inscription at the bottom of the Holy Door reads: 'PIVS XII PONT MAX ANNO INEVNTE / SACRO MCML AENEIS HVIVS PORTAE / VALVIS VATICANAM BASILICAM DECO / RARI IVSSIT LVDOVICO KAAS PETRIA /NI TEMPLI OPERVM CVTATORE / HINC VBERES SCATEANT DIVINAE GRA / LATICES OMNIVMQVE INGREDIEN / TIVM ANIMOS EXPIENT ALMA REFI /CIANT PACE CHRISTIANA VIRTVTE EXORNENT ANNO SACRO MCML' (Pius XII Pontifex Maximus, at the beginning of this Holy Year 1950, gave the commission to embellish the Vatican Basilica with these bronze doors, while Ludwig Kaas was director of the administration of St Peter's. Let the waters of divine grace flow freely, purifying all those who pass through here. May they be filled with peace sublime and be instilled with Christina virtue, Holy Year 1950).

The two large inscriptions that surmount the door were added by Pope Paul IV and Pope John Paul II. 

The Porta Santa is only open during a Jubilee, which 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 is the most powerful sign of the Jubilee. To pass through it expresses the decision to follow and be guided by Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd As it states in St John’s gospel (10:9): 'I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture' (KJV).

The Sixteen Panels of the Porta Santa

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)

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