By Francesca Merlo
The Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major has officially been opened. The ceremony, on Wednesday, Jan 1, was presided over by Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, the Lithuanian coadjutor archpriest of the basilica, who was elevated to the rank of cardinal in Pope Francis’ Dec 2024 consistory.
In his homily during Mass following the opening of the door, Cardinal Makrickas reflected on the spiritual significance of the Holy Door and its deep connection to the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. “Our journey begins today,” he said “with the sound of an ancient bell known as ‘the Lost One,’ ringing from the summit of the Esquiline Hill. This bell has guided countless pilgrims across centuries, a beacon of hope and a call to prayer.”
Mary: A guiding light
The cardinal invited the faithful to reflect on the role of Mary as a guiding light for humanity. Drawing on the Apostle Paul’s words, “when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman”, he explained that Mary embodies the fullness of time. “She is the path chosen by God,” he said. “Through her, eternity and history are united. She is the Immaculate Mother, the one who brings God’s infinite time into our finite lives.”
The basilica also holds the icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani, and reflecting on the icon, the cardinal said, “where the Madonna is present, turmoil does not prevail, fear does not win. Her maternal hands caress our lives, her mantle shields us, just as she protected the infant Jesus in the manger.”
A journey of renewal
The faithful were then also reminded of the relic of the Holy Cradle, which also lies within the basilica. “Think of it,” the cardinal urged, “our time is defined from that Cradle. The first pilgrims of Christianity – the shepherds – set out from the fields of Bethlehem to encounter the Lord. Today, we do the same.”
For many, the Jubilee journey is not just a physical pilgrimage but a deeply spiritual one. “This basilica, often called the ‘Bethlehem of the West,’ stands at the heart of Rome, guiding us like the Star of Bethlehem,” Cardinal Makrickas said. “It reminds us that our faith, like the star, points to Jesus Christ, the true Light of the World.”
Hope for all pilgrims
Brining his homily to a close, Cardinal Makrickas invoked the words of Pope Francis from the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year, Spes non confundit: “Let us entrust our lives and our time to the Mother of God, so that she may lead us to Jesus: the fullness of time, of all time, of the time of each of us.”
The Jubilee Year is a time of grace, the cardinal emphasised, urging all pilgrims to embrace its spirit. “No one is excluded from this path of hope. Mary, our Mother, is beside every one of us. She loves us all, without exception, and always leads us to her Son.” – Vatican News
