Pope Francis has asked that Holy Doors be opened in every Catholic cathedral in the world to mark the start of the Year of Mercy. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, said such an action, scheduled for this Sunday, would be a first for a jubilee year. Archbishop Fisichella was speaking at a press conference before the Year of Mercy formally began on Tuesday. He revealed a number of features of the Year, including: – On one Friday every month the Pope will carry out a “symbolic gesture” related to a work of mercy. He will begin with a “strictly private” visit to a Caritas shelter in Rome. – Every evening in front of the statue of St Peter in St Peter’s Square, groups will take turns in reciting the rosary. – In addition to the Pope’s Wednesday general audience, he will hold a special general audience one Saturday a month. – Special confessionals with wheelchair access will be available in St Peter’s Basilica and other Roman churches. Audio, video and “tactile-book” resources will be available for people with a visual or hearing impairment. – Pilgrims who wish to walk through the Holy Door at St Peter’s or take part in other major jubilee events in Rome will have to pre-register in order to receive the free tickets. This can be done online at www.im.va or in person at the pilgrim information centre at Via della Conciliazione 7. Vatican officials said that 800 priests had put themselves forward as “missionaries of mercy” in different parts of the world.