26 Apr The Holy Door at the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec in Québec City

The Holy Door at the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec in Québec City

In 2013 the Vatican presented a gift to the oldest church in North America, the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec. The purpose of the gift was to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the famous old church. This exceptional gift is the Holy Door and it’s the only one of its kind in North America.

The gift from the Holy See is a massive bronze door embossed with biblical figures. It is the seventh Holy Door in the world.

From an old tradition dating back to the 15th century, Holy Doors remained closed and are sealed with cement and mortar. They are only opened once every 25 years to mark a special jubilee celebration.

Walking through the Holy Door is a symbolic act of leaving things that we would like to leave behind such as sadness, resentment and anger… and become a new and better person.

After a most difficult year for the world in 2015, at the end of the year, Pope Francis asked that all the Holy Doors worldwide be opened for this extraordinary year of mercy. For all the suffering in the world, the victims, the violence, the acts of terrorism and the wars.

Regardless of your faith, for your own personal wellbeing and the wellbeing of the world, join the over 25,000 pilgrims who has already stepped through the only Holy Door in North America and don’t miss your chance to experience it. In the last two years close to a million individuals from 40 different countries has visited the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec.