With visible emotion, Pope Leo XIV closes the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica—the last one still open—marking the end of the Jubilee of Hope 2025. Crossed by over 33 million pilgrims, the door had been opened by Pope Francis on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024. The 27th ordinary Jubilee in the history of the Catholic Church—and the second of the 21st century—comes to a close on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. | Catholic News Agency

The Magnificent..St. Peter's Basilica was built between 1506 and 1626 under the guidance of several master architects, including Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, it was constructed to replace the Old St. Peter’s Basilica, originally built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. The basilica stands as a monumental expression of Renaissance and Baroque architecture, housing priceless artworks like Michelangelo’s Pietà and Be