The design of the gilded bronze urns, created to hold the keys that open and close the Holy Doors, stems from an intuition of artistic director Paolo Poli: each casket was to reflect the beauty and meaning already present in the door it is associated with.
From this idea emerged surface patterns that evoke the artistic decorations of the great doors, without reproducing them literally. In this way, the symbolic bond between the doors and the urns that hold their keys has been reinforced.
Jubilee Urn for the Papal Basilica fo St. Peter
Jubilee Urn for the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls
Jubilee Urn for the Papal Basilica of St. John in Lateran
Jubilee Urn for the Basilica of St. Mary Major
These are unique works, created using the lost-wax casting technique. Unlike urns of the past, they will not be replaced at each Jubilee: they can be reused, with only the front plaque bearing the papal coats of arms, the name and the dates of the new Jubilee being replaced, on the occasion of the following closing ceremony.
