VATICAN, December 24. /TASS/. Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican in the run-up to the Year of the Jubilee in the Roman Catholic Church.

The Pontiff wrote on the X social network that the ceremony symbolizes "a passage - an Easter of renewal - to enter into the new life offered to us through the encounter with Christ." Delegates representing other Christian confessions were invited to the ceremony as well.

The Holy Door, which is usually bricked up, is expected to remain open over the next 12 months. Catholic pilgrims will pass through it in the belief that they will be granted "plenary indulgence," a type of forgiveness for their sins.

As per tradition, the Holy Door at the main church of the Roman Catholic world is the first to open on Christmas eve, followed by those of the other three Major Basilicas in Rome. On December 26, Pope Francis will open the symbolic door in Rome’s Rebibbia New Complex Prison.

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Year of the Jubilee every 25 years. The previous celebration was led by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

The celebration is always a major event for Rome, with flocks of pilgrims placing additional strain on the city’s infrastructure. This year, up to 35 million visitors are expected at the Vatican.