In a dramatic ceremony today Pope Francis opened a pair of large bronze doors in St. Peter’s Basilica. This signaled the beginning of a special Jubilee Year of Mercy where believers can walk through these “magical doors” and receive special forgiveness.
“Those who pass through a Holy Door during this jubilee year will receive a plenary indulgence, which removes all of the temporal punishment for sins committed up to that time — provided the recipient also goes to confession, receives Communion, and prays for the pope.”
Did you notice, they are calling it an indulgence. Isn’t this why Martin Luther protested 500 years ago?
Beginning next Sunday bishops around the world can also designate other holy doors at a few cathedrals for pilgrims to walk through and receive this absolution for all their sins.
What’s amazing is you don’t even have to be a Roman Catholic!
A very clever marketing campaign to get superstitious people to come to a Catholic Church.
Pope Benedict XVI even showed up for the occasion along 50,000 worshipers, and hundreds of heavily armed security concerned about terrorism. This marked first time that two pontiffs together have launched a jubilee year.
They picked this date to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the conclusion of Vatican II which was really a master plan to neutralize the Protestant Reformation.
Interesting, this is also the fiftieth anniversary of when the Lord raised up Amazing Facts.
Obviously, if the Pope believes he can declare a year holy he also believes he can make a day holy. This would explain why the Catholic Church believes it had the right and authority to change God’s holy Sabbath from the seventh day to the first.
So does the Pope have the power to push open a set of antique doors and declare people forgiven? I thought Jesus was the door and his forgiveness is available all the time. Not just during special years.
Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved. John 10:9
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