Ceremony of the Keys (London) after the Tower. The event is usually sold out at least 12 months in advance. Ceremony of the Keys (London) The Ceremony of the Keys is an ancient ritual, held every evening at the Tower of London, when the main gates are locked for the night. It is said to be the oldest military ceremony in the world, and is the best-known ceremonial tradition of the Tower. At exactly 9.53 pm, the Chief Yeoman Warder, dressed in Tudor watchcoat and bonnet, and carrying a candle lantern, leaves the Byward Tower and falls in with the Escort to the Keys, a
Power of the Keys as the power of church leaders to admit or exclude from church membership. The Vatican's own claims to the Keys as a heraldic statement are limited to the 14th century. Power of the Keys In Christianity, "the keys are an office and power given by Christ "to the Church" for binding and loosing sins." In a non-Christian context, the symbology of the power of keys dates back to the birth of civilization. The common element is that of the gatekeeper of time. The Power of the Keys is a responsibility given to St. Peter to usher in the Kingdom of