Holy Door Commemorative Ingot Set

Located at the north end of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is the large ornate doorway that is walled in with brick and mortar on the inside. This Holy Door - or Porta Santa - is only opened during a Holy Year and, when open, promises forgiveness from the consequences of sin to all who pass. Holy Years can only be declared by the Pope and usually happen every 25 years. The last Holy Year was declared by Pope Francis and ended on November 20, 2016.

At the beginning of a Holy Year, the Pope ceremoniously strikes the brick wall with a hammer and the brick wall is removed to allow the door to open. At the end of the year a new wall is built closing the passage until the next Holy Year.

The Holy Door is a massive bronze work of art consisting of 16 beautifully sculpted panels.

The first two panels along the top show Adam and Eve being cast from the Garden. The next two depict Archangel Gabriel asking Mary to be the Mother of Jesus.

The next two rows depict gospel stories focused on the mercy of God and the teachings of Jesus, ending with the crucifixion of Christ on the cross.

The bottom row follows with the resurrection and thebirth of the Church. The final panel shows the Pope opening the Holy Door, to allow pilgrims to pass into forgiveness that leads to salvation.

Never before offered as a complete set, the Holy Door Commemorative Ingot Set features 16 AMERICAN MINT EXCLUSIVE ingot reproductions of the bronze panels of the Holy Door in Saint Peter's Basilica. Depicting the history of salvation from the fallof man in "The Angels at the Gates of Paradise" to salvation in "Opening the Holy Door," each panel is meticulously reproduced in exquisite detail on 24k gold-layered ingots. Minted to the highest quality "Proof" standard and layered in brilliant 24k gold, each ingot comes in a protective shell to preserve its golden finish for generations.

You will receive with your order is the customcollector's album. Specially designed to securely hold your entire set of ingots, this folder protects your ingots from damage or wear. The perfect addition to your collection, this magnificent albumis beautifully produced in full color and opens like the Holy Doors to reveal your set.