On January 6, 2026, Pope Leo XIV will close the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, formally concluding the Holy Year that began on December 24, 2024. This door is the last remaining open among Rome's papal basilicas.
The Closing Rite
The ceremony, scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m., will involve the closing of the door leaves. This practice, established in 1975 and simplified by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2000, no longer includes a public walling-up.
Pope Leo XIV will recite a prayer of thanksgiving for the Ordinary Holy Year. The prescribed formula includes the statement: “This Holy Door is closed, but the door of Your mercy is not closed,” followed by an invocation for divine grace.
While the antiphon “O clavis David” is sung, the Pope will approach the Holy Door. He will step onto the threshold, kneel, and then personally close the two bronze door leaves after a moment of silent prayer. This action signifies the conclusion of the Jubilee period.
Immediately following the closing, the Pope will preside over the Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord inside St. Peter’s Basilica.
Subsequent Walling-Up
The physical walling-up of the Holy Door will occur privately approximately ten days after the closing ceremony. This process will be managed by the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.
Technicians from the Fabric of St. Peter’s, known as sampietrini, will construct the brick wall inside the Basilica to seal the Holy Door. A traditional metal capsule, or capsis, containing the official record of the closing, coins minted during the Jubilee Year, and the keys to the Holy Door, will be placed within this wall.