Pope John Paul II on Saturday closed the holy door of Saint Peter's Basilica, winding up Jubilee 2000 celebrations which coincided with the Catholic holy year.
The door will remain sealed by a brick wall until 2025, when Catholics are expected to celebrate their next Holy Year.
Catholics are granted so-called indulgences, or partial remissions of temporal punishment that they believe brings them closer to eternal life if they enter one of the holy doors with a pure heart after confession, communion, a prayer and special sacrifices.
Doors at the Rome basilicas of Saint Mary Major, Saint John Lateran and Saint Paul Outside the Walls, opened by the pope after Christmas Eve 1999, were closed on Friday night.
Holy Doors -- marked as such in Rome and in cathedrals throughout the world -- are only opened for the faithful following a decision by the pope -- VATICAN CITY (AFP)
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