Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy: Holy Door
One of the seven Holy Door Sites in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, is our very own Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD. The Holy Year runs from December 8, 2015 (The Main Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome Opened) through November 20, 2016. At designated sites all over the world, the Holy Door Rite was held on December 13th, in unison with the Holy Doors of the Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran and the Papal Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls in Rome. Anyone visiting our Shrine of St. Anthony, as with the other sites, receives an indulgence (remission of all temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven). Usually the Holy Year indulgence is only obtained through a pilgrimage to Rome and a visit to a Papal Basilica during a Holy Year, but Pope Francis has determined that indulgences can be granted to pilgrims to any of the sites with a Holy Door throughout the world. Other requirements for the Holy Year indulgence include the reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, and reciting the “Profession of Faith.” The Pope also extends the privilege to the home-bound and the incarcerated, as well as those performing Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.

At noon, on Sunday, December 13th, the community of friars living and working in the St. Joseph Cupertino and Portiuncula Friars, joined friars from the surrounding area and pilgrims to the Shrine of St. Anthony, as the Director of the Shrine, Fr. Michael Heine, OFM Conv. opened the Holy Door of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, preceding noon Mass in the Shrine’s Chapel.

The Opening of the Holy Door at the Shrine of St. Anthony, in Ellicott City, MD