Pilgrims traverse Vatican Holy Door as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pilgrims lined up early Wednesday to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica, as Christmas marked the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that is expected to bring some 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome.

Traversing the Holy Door is one way that the faithful can obtain indulgences, or forgiveness for sins during a Jubilee, a once-every-quarter-century tradition that dates from 1300. On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis knocked on the door and was the first to walk through it, inaugurating the 2025 Jubilee that he dedicated to hope.

Pilgrims submitted to security controls before entering the Holy Door, amid new security fears following a deadly Christmas market attack in Germany. Many paused to touch the door as they passed and made the sign of the cross upon entering the basilica dedicated to St. Peter, founder of the Roman Catholic Church.

At noon, Francis will deliver the “Urbi et Orbi” — “To the City and the World” address, which serves as a summary of the woes facing the world this year.