Pope Francis will open the Holy Year of the Catholic Church in St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday evening. In a solemn ceremony on Christmas Eve, the 88-year-old pontiff will open the Holy Door, which is otherwise walled up from the inside,

Pope Francis will mark Christmas Eve on Tuesday with a special ceremony launching Jubilee 2025, a year of Catholic celebrations set to draw more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome. And traditions have evolved since the first such event back in 1300,

According to the Vatican, the tradition began in 1300 when Pope Boniface VII announced the first Jubilee. Later, Jubilees came to be celebrated every 25 years.

The rite of opening the Holy Doors of the main basilicas of Rome to inaugurate the 2025 Jubilee Year is perhaps one of the most solemn events of the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis, turning 88 and recovering from a cold, will lead Sunday's Angelus prayer from his residence as a precaution. The decision considers cold weather and his commitments during Christmas week.