“I wanted to throw open the Door today, here. I made the first one in San Pietro, the second is yours. It is a beautiful gesture to open wide, to open: to open the doors. But more important is what it means: it is opening your heart.”
A historic moment took place in the Roman prison of Rebibbia Nuovo Complesso: Pope Francis, wearing red vestments, opened a Holy Door for the first time not in a basilica, but in a penitentiary. An unprecedented and symbolic gesture, which embodies the theme of the 2025 Jubilee: hope.
In front of the bronze door of the Church of Our Father, the Pontiff knocked six times, then crossed the gap decorated with flowers and plants. His gesture responds directly to the requests of the prisoners, who had asked: “What does the Jubilee mean for us?”. These requests, collected by the auxiliary bishop of Rome, Benoni Ambarus, were accepted by the Pope, who has always been close to the prison world.
The symbolism of a Holy Door “open to all”
With two prisoners, a man and a woman, and two officers at his side, Francis crossed the Holy Door, followed by a procession of priests raising a wooden cross. Sitting in a wheelchair, the Pope walked along the corridor of the church among 300 present, including prisoners, educators, prison police and family members.
The solemnity of the moment was accompanied by songs and respectful silence, while the Pope greeted the authorities present, including the Minister of Justice Carlo Nordio and the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri. The ritual took place under the icon of the Madonna, in an atmosphere of intense emotional participation.
An off-the-cuff homily on hope
During the homily, entirely off the cuff, Francis urged those present to “open wide the doors of the heart”. He spoke of hope as an anchor, a support in difficult times: “Hope never disappoints. It’s like an anchor that keeps us tied to the shore. Never let go of the rope of hope.”
The Pope’s appeal was clear: live a Jubilee with an open heart, even in the most difficult situations.
Gifts and solidarity exchanges
During the celebration, two prisoners and two educators presented the offertory gifts. The prison administration gave the Pope a painting of Christ with outstretched hands, created by the artist Elio Lucente, and a basket of agricultural products from the female inmates of Rebibbia. Francis reciprocated with a reproduction of the Holy Door and a commemorative parchment, which reads “As a sign of hope to regain self-confidence and rediscover the esteem and solidarity of society”.
Before concluding, the Pontiff gave a Rosary to each person present, reiterating the double invitation: “Hold on to the rope of hope and open your hearts wide.”
