A Compostelan Holy Year (Año Santo, or Xacobeo) happens whenever 25 July, the feast of St James, falls on a Sunday. The next one is 2027. After that come 2032, 2038 and 2049.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 31 December 2026 | The Holy Door (Puerta Santa, on Praza da Quintana) is solemnly opened |
| All of 2027 | The door stays open; a plenary indulgence is offered under the usual conditions |
| 25 July 2027 (Sunday) | Feast of St James |
| 31 December 2027 | The Holy Door closes |
The motto of the Holy Year is from Matthew 2:10: "they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" on seeing the star (Archbishop's pastoral letter).
⚠ Confirm before you go - Opening time: reported moved to around midday on 31 Dec 2026, but the Cathedral's calendar still showed 5 pm when we checked. - Botafumeiro: the giant censer is out of service while scaffolding for the cimborrio (lantern tower) restoration covers its mechanism, with no return date announced as of Oct 2026. - Pilgrim masses: from 16 October 2026, the 9:30, 12:00 and 19:30 pilgrim masses move to the nearby church of San Agustín until further notice.
Check catedraldesantiago.es before your visit.
Sources
- santiago.es: Xacobeo 2027 guide · Holy Door
- Cathedral of Santiago: Pastoral letter for the 2027 Holy Year (PDF)
- Camino de Santiago RTV: Botafumeiro out of service (Oct 2026)
- santiago.es: Cathedral works 2026
Last verified: October 15, 2026. Prices, hours and rules change: confirm with the official source before you go.