BREAKING Last of the Holy Doors in Saint Peter's Basilica Officially Sealed in Special Rite Until the Next Jubilee in 2033


Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica Sealed, Ending Jubilee Rites

On Friday evening, January 16, 2026, the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica was officially sealed in a private ceremony, marking the final rite of the Jubilee Year of Hope. The ceremony was presided over by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of the Basilica, and Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli. This ceremony followed Pope Leo XIV's closing of the door on Jan.6.

The Sealing Rite

To seal the door, the sampietrini (Vatican craftsmen) constructed a wall of approximately 3,200 bricks inside the Basilica. Following tradition, a bronze capsa (container) was embedded within the masonry. This container holds:

  • Official Records: A parchment attesting to the opening and closing of the Holy Door.

  • Papal Memorabilia: Medals from the final year of Pope Francis’s pontificate and the first of Pope Leo XIV, along with a 2025 Sede Vacante medal.

  • Commemorative Items: Medals spanning the decade between the 2016 Jubilee of Mercy and the 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

The bronze capsa was placed inside a lead box, shut, and sealed. Cardinal Gambetti and Archbishop Ravelli ceremonially laid the final bricks before concluding with the Lord’s Prayer and a blessing.

Completion of the Jubilee

This event follows the sealing of the other three major Papal Basilicas earlier in the week:

  • St. Mary Major: Tuesday, Jan 13

  • St. John Lateran: Wednesday, Jan 14

  • St. Paul Outside the Walls: Thursday, Jan 15

With the sealing of St. Peter’s, the Holy Doors will remain closed until the next Jubilee, preserving the spiritual legacy of the millions of pilgrims who passed through them.

Source https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-01/the-sealing-of-the-holy-doors-of-the-papal-basilicas.html

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