Indulgences in Holy Year of Mercy--which door(s)?

[Older Guy]

This is the Holy Year of Mercy. "....Pope Francis is seeking to make the indulgence as widely available as possible. In the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, a Holy Door is to be opened in every cathedral around the world, as well as in particular shrines...."


http://prayforsouls.org/library/articles/article.php?NID=6460&


From my limited understanding:

In order to receive a plenary indulgence by visiting one of these pilgrimage churches, Catholics need to fulfill the following conditions:

• Pass through the doors of mercy of the pilgrimage church.
• Make a profession of faith in the church (either the Apostles’ or Nicene Creed).
• Pray for the pope’s intentions and the pope himself.
• Meditate on mercy while receiving Communion during a period either 20 days before or after visiting the pilgrimage church.
• Participate in the sacrament of penance during a period either 20 days before or after visiting the pilgrimage church.

Obviously, the Cathedral in Santiago is one of the biggest pilgrimage church, so it mush have a door of mercy. Which is the door of mercy? Is it the main central door from the plaza

What are the other pilgrimage churches with doors of mercy along the Camino Francis?

The reason that I am asking is because this could give my pilgrimage a lot of special meaning. From what I understand "......Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth...."

Thanks!

 

[MichaelSG]

The Holy Door is at the other side of the church from the Plaza de Obradoiro, behind the altar area. It will be hard to miss this year.

Also, I could be wrong but there are no other "real" Holy Doors on the Camino Frances route from SJPdP. That said, a lot of Catholic parishes are designating churches all over the world to have temporary holy doors this year. There may be a lot of those along the route, most likely in every larger city.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the other side of the church from the Plaza de Obradoiro

It opens onto the Praza Quintana. You can go in, but you cannot go out!

 

[Older Guy]

The Holy Door is at the other side of the church from the Plaza de Obradoiro, behind the altar area. It will be hard to miss this year.

Also, I could be wrong but there are no other "real" Holy Doors on the Camino Frances route from SJPdP. That said, a lot of Catholic parishes are designating churches all over the world to have temporary holy doors this year. There may be a lot of those along the route, most likely in every larger city.

Thank you both. I have been doing some searching and there seems to be a Holy Door in one of the Pamplona Cathedrals as well.

https://catholicpilgrimagesites.wordpress.com/holy-doors-of-mercy/spain-holy-doors/

http://www.im.va/content/gdm/en/mondo/porte-della-misericordia.html?country=europe/es

The two lists only look like partial lists.

Part of me suspects that Leon and other major cities with major cathedrals would also have holy doors, since they were on a pilgrimage route for hundreds of years.

Furthermore, from my limited history of the Camino, I wonder about the church of Santiago at Villafaranca de Bierzo with its "Puerta del Perdón" (The Gate of Pardon), where pilgrims who were unable to complete the trail to Santiago were given an indulgence. Again, not sure of its status this year.

As such, I suspect that there are several Holy Doors of Mercy, but not sure how to find them a head of time. Any help would be appreciated.

Again, thank you.

 

[thomryng]

The Pope asked that every cathedral to designate holy doors, so in theory there should be doors in Pamplona, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Bugos, as well as Santiago.

Other "important" churches may do so as well.

Having said that, we're on the Camino now - we'll be in Burgos tomorrow - and the only holy door I've seen designated as such has been in Navarrete.

 

[Older Guy]

The Pope asked that every cathedral to designate holy doors, so in theory there should be doors in Pamplona, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Bugos, as well as Santiago.

Other "important" churches may do so as well.

Having said that, we're on the Camino now - we'll be in Burgos tomorrow - and the only holy door I've seen designated as such has been in Navarrete.

I would expect Leon to be on the potential list as well, but thank you for the information on Navarrete!

I will be leaving in a couple weeks for my Camino.

Buen camino!

 

[Introibo]

Hi Older Guy

Your "limited understanding" doesn't seem to be that limited ! A very succinct summary.

The third paragraph in the letter from Papa Francis makes it clear that those who are not able to
travel to a Holy Door can still gain the indulgence. The disposition of those wanting to gain the
indulgence is important.

But if you're able to, then passing through a Holy Door can be a wonderful experience. I'm sure
there will be many on the way. I certainly prayed outside the door in Villafaranca de Bierzo
just in case I didn't make it to Santiago !

Unless you're a fluent Spanish speaker your biggest problem is likely to be confession. Can I suggest
that you pass through every Holy Door you find on your way to Santiago and use this as a preparation
to gaining the indulgence in Santiago ? I walked round the seven pilgrim churches in Rome as a
preparation for my passage through the Holy Door in St Peter's. By then I felt as though I was ready.
In Santiago there will almost certainly be a priest hearing confession in English so you'll be able to
meet all the requirements in one place. A fantastic opportunity.

Buen Camino

 

[koilife]

It opens onto the Praza Quintana. You can go in, but you cannot go out!

This made me laugh . . . what immediately came to mind is that the Church is like the Hotel California! I'm still chuckling . . .

 

[Introibo]

Unlike Holman Hunt's door then, which can only be opened from the inside !
A beautiful painting and the words from Revelation did come to me at the time
and I was struck by how the invitation to enter had been turned around.

 

[Older Guy]

Introibo; I am not fluent in Spanish or even close. Thank you for your suggestion. I would wager that St. Peter's was quite the experience. Even if the Priest doesn't understand English or my poor Spanish, just the acts of confession and mass while contemplating mercy and the Pope in an impressive church should make my Camino far more meaningful.

When I started my planning for my Camino, it was to have been part religious pilgrimage, part tourism, part adventure, part serious mountain bike exercise. In my planning I have tried to create a balance of all these things. I am doing it by bicycle, but rather than taking two weeks, I will take closer to three weeks.

From the beginning I had wanted to visit many churches, because I like doing that when I am a tourist and take in the "spirit" of a church along with its architecture and history. The Camino obviously has lots of religious history and art. I also didn't want to rush myself or strain myself, so I planned about 1/3 of the days for rest/recover, extra sight seeing, bad weather/rain.

Someone suggested that I visit and stay at a number of monasteries and parish run facilities and I have been adding them to my potential list of places to stay. However, I do want to not over plan my Camino. Instead, I want to see sights, experience place, things and people and decide on the spot where I want to stay and how long I want to travel each day.

Putting a list of possible pilgrimage churches with Holy Doors together and thinking about this is making this adventure even more of a religious pilgrimage.

Again, thank you for your suggestion. Practice does makes perfect, but I also have many ancestors who I could honor on this trip of a lifetime.

 

[koilife]

I am doing it by bicycle, but rather than taking two weeks, I will take closer to three weeks.

A word of caution . . . make sure to lock up your bike in approved areas. I watched on a Sunday morning as the local police cut the locks on two bikes chained to the fence around the Cathedral of Leon and haul them away to impound. The cyclists who had gone inside for Mass were probably dismayed when they came out, especially as there was no indication that it was the police who had taken their bikes.

And I don't think this being a year of mercy will make any difference to enforcement.

 

[Devon Mike]

From previous threads, I believe their will be a Holy Door open in Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and Santiago. The Holy Door should be in the eastern end of the Cathedral.

In Santiago the main entrance from the Praza de Obradoiro is the Portico of Glory and is the west end of the Cathedral, so you need to go to the opposite side to the Praza da Quintana to find the Holy Door.

 

[Older Guy]

A word of caution . . . make sure to lock up your bike in approved areas. I watched on a Sunday morning as the local police cut the locks on two bikes chained to the fence around the Cathedral of Leon and haul them away to impound. The cyclists who had gone inside for Mass were probably dismayed when they came out, especially as there was no indication that it was the police who had taken their bikes.

And I don't think this being a year of mercy will make any difference to enforcement.

Thanks, my schedule is such that I will have 3 Sunday's. The first will be in Pamplona getting over jet-lag so I will be staying in a hotel with the bike well locked up and walking to the nearby Cathedral. The last of the three Sundays will be after I turn my rental bike in and in Santiago, so that also shouldn't be a problem. The second Sunday will be somewhere between Burgos and Leon. So your advice on Leon is appreciated and I will pay attention. Most of the time, I will want to dress up a little from my biking lycra before going to church. Again. Thanks

 

[kusitb]

Hi, Thank you very much for all the information above. Are the Holy Doors clearly marked? I ask because here in Toronto, they are not; we just kind of know because we are locals and they are sometimes decorated a bit.

 

[MTtoCamino]

If any of you on pilgramage can post a picture from the outside I would very much appreciate any you find!
Thanks!

 

[koilife]

If any of you on pilgramage can post a picture from the outside I would very much appreciate any you find!
Thanks!

Here is a picture from the gallery: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...oly-door-opened-yesterday-dec-13th-2015.4183/

You can use Google Maps for the Cathedral of Santiago, then use the "browse street view" option in the Praza de Quintana to get a view of the side of the Cathedral wall. I *think* the Holy Door is the middle one with a metal gate and surrounded by carvings of the apostles, or it's the one towards at the top of the plaza stairs.

 

[babylon2505]

Here is a picture from the gallery: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...oly-door-opened-yesterday-dec-13th-2015.4183/

You can use Google Maps for the Cathedral of Santiago, then use the "browse street view" option in the Praza de Quintana to get a view of the side of the Cathedral wall. I *think* the Holy Door is the middle one with a metal gate and surrounded by carvings of the apostles, or it's the one towards at the top of the plaza stairs.

J

 

[babylon2505]

There are 7 Holy Doors in the world. There are 4 in Rome, Italy one in France ,oneb in Quebec and the one in Santiago. The doors are shut and are only opened when the pope declares a Jubilee but in every catherdral all over the world is a Door of Mercy.
They were opened in December 2015 and will be closing in Novemeber 2016.

 

[Devon Mike]

There are 7 Holy Doors in the world. There are 4 in Rome, Italy one in France ,oneb in Quebec and the one in Santiago. The doors are shut and are only opened when the pope declares a Jubilee but in every catherdral all over the world is a Door of Mercy.
They were opened in December 2015 and will be closing in Novemeber 2016.

There was a notification somewhere on these forums that there will be Holy Doors open Pamplona, Burgos and Leon as well as Santiago. I will certainly be checking this out when I am there in May/June.

 

[Castilian]

Non-exhaustive list of (mercy) jubilee temples along the Camino Francés:

Cathedral of Pamplona
Co-Cathedral of Logroño
Co-Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Cathedral of Burgos
Basilica of San Isidoro in León
Cathedral of Astorga
Basilica of La Encina in Ponferrada
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

 

[Richard Ward]

Does anyone know any helpful Spanish to find out where the Holy Doors are located? Also, is daily communion typically during a morning mass as it is in the US? If you are going to multiple holy doors (e.g., if you have multiple deceased relatives/friends), a separate holy communion is required for each plenary indulgence, so just going to mass every Sunday would not be enough for going to all eight doors.

I checked a few sites, and this seemed to be a helpful summary which mentioned the one communion for one indulgence.

http://www.thedivinemercy.org/jubilee/thebasics/indulgence.php

Perhaps I will see you in one of those holy doors Older Guy, but only one, since I don't think I can walk the same speed that you bike. Buen Camino!

 

[Castilian]

Does anyone know any helpful Spanish to find out where the Holy Doors are located?

I would check that info once on the ground (it'll be way easier to understand "that one" than to write instructions to find a door on a temple you don't know yet). Be aware Mercy Doors won't be always opened. For example, in the Basilica of San Isidoro, it'll be opened just the first Friday of each month at the 18:30 mass (winter) or the 19:00 mass (summer)... OTOH, on the Basilica of La Encina, in Ponferrada, it'll be daily jubilee masses but I didn't see any references about the opening times of the Puerta del Perdón there...

P.S.: The Cathedral of León as well as the Basilica of the Virgen del Camino, not far from León, are also a jubilee temples but I didn't find references to what door(s) (if any) were designated in each of those temples.

 

[koilife]

Does anyone know any helpful Spanish to find out where the Holy Doors are located? Also, is daily communion typically during a morning mass as it is in the US? If you are going to multiple holy doors (e.g., if you have multiple deceased relatives/friends), a separate holy communion is required for each plenary indulgence, so just going to mass every Sunday would not be enough for going to all eight doors.

I checked a few sites, and this seemed to be a helpful summary which mentioned the one communion for one indulgence.

http://www.thedivinemercy.org/jubilee/thebasics/indulgence.php

Perhaps I will see you in one of those holy doors Older Guy, but only one, since I don't think I can walk the same speed that you bike. Buen Camino!

Mass every Sunday would not be enough for all the doors, but there's no requirement that the Mass be a Sunday Mass. Daily Mass is (more than) sufficient and can be within a few days of passing through the door. The same Confession can apply to multiple indulgences, but each indulgence must have a separate Mass and prayer for the intentions of the Pope, and any other prayers required for the specific indulgence (for instance, Our Father/recitation of the Creed).

 

[koilife]

What about Roncesvalles? My Spanish isn't great but I thought this notice means that the Church of Roncesvalles is one of these places?

Yes. According to the link, the archbishop has designated the church as a location for the Jubilee plenary indulgence.

 

[Castilian]

What about Roncesvalles? My Spanish isn't great but I thought this notice means that the Church of Roncesvalles is one of these places?

Yes, that's right but there isn't any reference on the link about a Holy Door at Roncesvalles as well as I didn't find references to a Holy door at Leon's Cathedral or at the Basilica of the Virgen del Camino. It doesn't mean there isn't a Holy Door at those mercy jubilee temples. It just means I didn't find info about it but I didn't look too much for info... OTOH, I have info about the existence of a Holy Door in all the jubilee temples quoted in the list. Anyway, I should have said the list wasn't exhaustive and I think I'm going to make it right now to avoid misunderstandings.

 

[Older Guy]

The holly door at Pamplona is locked most of the time, but this past Saturday at 7 PM they opened it for a mass. So it is open but only rarely. It is the central door. I tried to up load a photo, but couldn't.

 

[Richard Ward]

Center door was also open Tuesday morning for mass/confessions. Did not see holy door in Logrono. Will be able to report on Burgos in a couple of days.

 

[Older Guy]

In Logrona now nothing at the main cathederal is open and no door is decorated, so I suspect you are right.

 

[Richard Ward]

Burgos has a holy door, and it is labeled as such. When you pass through, the requirements for the indulgence are given (in Spanish). Entrance is up the stairs to the right of the ticketing area, and it is the first door, a small one, that you come to. Confession is available, but did not see English being offered at the time I went. As an FYI confession in multiple languages is available in San Juan de Ortega before the pilgrims mass (which is worth going to, not only because of the wearable cross you might receive).

 

[mspath]

As noted above by Richard Ward the church at San Juan Ortega is special. Lost in the forest of the Montes de Oca the monastery is named for Saint John of the Nettles, a follower of Santo Domingo de la Calzada and like him a builder of roads, bridges and hospices for pilgrims. San Juan is buried here in the Romanesque monastery church within a splendid Gothic mausoleum.

However there is more. Marvelous Romanesque capitals top the lofty columns. One four-sided capital is truly EXTRAORDINARY. As described by Dom Millan Bravo Lozano in his Practical Guide to Pilgrims , "..showing the Annunciation, Visitation, Joseph's Dream, and Christ's Nativity. Each equinox(21March and 22nd September) at precisely 5pm solar time, a single shaft of sunlight strikes this capital, illuminating it alone in the surrounding gloom and causing the marvelous illusion that the Holy Ghost is alighting on Mary's belly. Miracle or artifice, it is clear that this is no ordinary place."

If by chance you are nearby don't miss that illumination!

Margaret Meredith