Hi, I'm Edward Sree, and welcome to all things Catholic Catholic where real faith meets real life.

This week the Catholic Church celebrates the great solemnity of the assumption of the

Blessed Virgin Mary and to celebrate in this episode I want to take you to the

doors of death. Have you ever been to the doors of death? If you've been to Rome, I bet you've walked

through the doors of death. If you've been to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, you've probably walked through the doors of death. You see, when

pilgrims enter this great Basilica, they're greeted by five massive doors in

the Vestibil in the Narthex area, and Pilgrims enter in the door on the right-hand

side known as the door of the sacraments where the seven sacraments are depicted as

they enter the inside of the Basilica. Well when you exit the Basilica you're typically

exiting through what's known as the doors of death and it's called the doors of death

traditionally because this is where the, when funerals

would take place in St. Peter's,

they take the casket out this door.

And they have images, different images of death

on these doors as you walk through them. Now why would I want to take you

to the doors of death when we're celebrating the Feast of Mary's

assumption? This should be celebrating life and Mary entering into glory received by her son Jesus and all the angels and Saints in heaven.

Why would I take you to the doors of death?

It's because I have my favorite image about Mary's assumption right

there on the doors of death. This is my favorite image. I love showing

pilgrims this particular image of Our Lady on the doors of death.

Now, it's not what you would expect. You see, much art that you'll find right there in the

...