This Sunday, August 28, Pope Francis celebrated the opening rite of the Holy Door of Celestino V in L’Aquila on the day on which “Celestino’s Forgiveness” is celebrated.
After celebrating Mass and leading the Angelus prayer in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Collemaggio, Pope Francis celebrated the opening rite of the Holy Door in the 728th Celestine Pardon celebration.
Every year, on August 28 and 29, Catholics make a pilgrimage to L’Aquila to participate in an event called “Celestine Forgiveness” or Celestinian Forgiveness in Italian.
This anniversary celebrated in Collemaggio is considered “Italy Heritage by Tradition” since 2011 and was inscribed on the UNESCO “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2019.
The opening of the Holy Door marks the start of the annual celebration established by Pope Celestine V in 1294.
Whoever enters the Basilica of Santa Maria in Collemaggio, repentant and confessed, takes communion and prays the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be, according to the intentions of the Pope, may obtain the plenary indulgence granted by Celestine V with the bull “Among the Saints”better known as the Bull of Forgiveness.
It should be noted that no Pope before Pope Francis had gone to L’Aquila to open the Holy Door so desired by Celestine V, also known for being “the first Holy Door in the world”.
After the opening of the Holy Door, Pope Francis prayed at the tomb of Pope Celestine V, the first Pope in history to resign the pontificate.
After the confirmation of the visit of Pope Francis to this place, rumors began to emerge of a possible resignation, since Benedict XVI also did so a few days before becoming Pope Emeritus.