days later, he presided at the opening of the Holy Door at the Archbasilica of St John Lateran. The Holy Door at St Paul's Outside the Walls was opened by the Archpriest of that Basilica, Cardinal James Harvey. Pope Francis later opened the Holy Door at St Mary Major and at the Caritas center near Rome's central train station. Francis broke with tradition in removing the necessity of traveling to Rome. In October 2015, a temporal privilege was extended by Pope Francis through the Papal bull of Indiction, "Misericordiae Vultus" for an ordinary bishop to designate his own Holy Door for the purpose of the "Jubilee Year of Mercy". Holy Doors were to be designated in every diocese throughout the world, and could be located at the diocesan Cathedral or at other popular church shrines. On 29 November 2015, prior to the official 8 December start of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Bangui, Central African Republic. Holy Doors were subsequently opened in 40 different countries around the world, including locations such as Westminster Cathedral, Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire, and St. Paul's Basilica in Toronto. Other Holy Doors canonically designated by the Holy See The following is a list of Holy Doors designated in perpetuity by the Holy See. Pope Alexander III granted this privilege to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain by pontifical decree through his papal bull Regis Æterni on 25 July 1178, the Feast of Saint James the Great, principal patron of Spaniards. Pope Benedict XVI granted the privilege of opening a holy door to the Sanctuary of Saint John Vianney, Cure of Ars, in Formans, France in July 2007 for the 150th memorial death anniversary of Saint John Vianney. Pope Benedict XVI granted a holy door to the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines on 21 December 2010, to honour the university's 400th anniversary in 2011. Pope Francis gave the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in the city of Quebec, Canada, the privilege of opening a Holy Door on 8 December 2013 to mark its Jubilee Year as the first Catholic parish in North America north of Mexico, celebrating the 350th anniversary since its foundation on 11 July 1666. See also Jubilee (Christianity) References External links "Holy doors during the Jubilee of Mercy", USCCB Catholic doctrines Catholic liturgy Christian religious objects Christian prayer